Beilenson: then and now

Peter Beilenson then, in January of 2008, who appears to believe that teenagers are capable of making the right decisions without parental guidance:

Howard County's top health officer criticized the county school system this week for its decision to disclose information about student pregnancies to parents.

County health officer Dr. Peter Beilenson called the Board of Education's Jan. 10 decision on the matter "absolutely outrageous" because it interferes with pregnant teens' right to privacy and endangers a segment of teens who might forego prenatal care if they cannot count on confidential guidance at school.

Peter Bielenson now, who thinks that teenagers cannot make a responsible decision about the use of tanning beds even with parental guidance:

There are 17 tanning salons in Howard County, Beilenson said, with probably dozens more tanning beds in gyms and health spas.

Beilenson noted a World Health Organization report in July citing seven studies on indoor tanning that indicated that the risk of skin cancer is increased 75 percent for those under 35. The studies identified the beds - like tobacco - as a cancer risk.