Skin colour has become a topic of conversation across the country as media investigate and cabinet ministers debate.
The discussion doesn't surround the issue of race but rather cancer - skin cancer.
People who elect to use tanning beds to achieve a golden brown hue are being pressured by mass media and health professionals to forgo their dangerous habit.
I can relate to the sun-lovers who 'fake and bake' as I shamefully visit the tanning salon about twice per week.
I've heard the horror stories on the radio, I've seen the campaigns on television and I've read about the harmful effects in magazines and newspapers, but I have yet to absorb the warnings the way I absorb the rays.
The fear of skin cancer doesn't penetrate my conscience the same way the artificial light penetrates my skin.
Saskatchewan Health Minister Dustin Duncan has publicly debated whether or not to ban youths from tanning beds in Saskatchewan, while seven other provinces have taken steps to restrict or prohibit minors from artificial tanning.
Duncan told media he didn't want to enact a tanning bed ban for minors too hastily, but did say options are on the table for Saskatchewan to include a consent process similar to Manitoba's.
There's no doubt that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays increases the chances of developing skin cancer. A report published by the Canadian Cancer Society highlights research that shows people who tan in salons before the age of 35 have a 75 per cent higher chance of developing cancer.
Despite the facts, and speaking as a self-proclaimed habitual tanner, the statistics are just numbers. I realize that like so many others, I have a false sense of invincibility.
As a fair-skinned natural redhead, I know how naïve I'm being. I'm more than aware of my increased vulnerability to the sun and to cancer, and yet still, like millions, I continue to slather on the lotion and expose myself to the deadly disease.
I'm not sure how much awareness will stop the tanning trend.
I think tanners hear the message; they just don't listen. Banning the beds isn't going to prevent people from visiting tanning salons, although it may delay their sessions for a couple of years.
Legislation doesn't need to change, our ideas of beauty need to transform.
I think that everyone looks a little better being bronzed, but there are so many alternatives to the "cancer coffins".
While the sun-kissed look is sought after by millions, I'm sure wrinkles are unwanted by most. The artificial rays deflected by the burning bulbs have the intensity to not only cause skin damage, but irreversible, premature aging.
The ongoing push to make our nation sun-smart is pushing some tanners to safer options, and I think I may be the next.
No one wants to die young, and no one likes the look of leathery skin.
