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Excessive use of tanning booths has been tied to causing skin cancer. Despite studies and reports that have found the dangers behind going to the tanning salons too often, these facilities continue to thrive. According to a new report conducted by skin cancer researchers, in Florida, there are more tanning saloons than McDonalds and CVS pharmacies.

"Indoor tanning is known to cause skin cancers, including melanoma, which is deadly," noted one expert, Dr. Joshua Zeichner, of the department of dermatology at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "Despite an increase in public awareness efforts from dermatologists, people are still sitting in tanning beds."

For this study, the research team from the University of Miami headed by Dr. Sonia Lamel calculated that there is one tanning salon for every 15,113 people in Florida. The researchers also found that for every 50 square miles, you would find a tanning salon in this sunshine state. The total amount of tanning salons was 1,261. This number far surpassed the 868 McDonald's fast-food joints and the 693 CVS pharmacies. The team noted that the only other facility that outnumbered tanning salons was Bank of American ATMs. When the researchers tallied up the number of tanning salons, they included tanning booths offered in fitness centers and resident buildings as well.

"Hindsight is 20/20, but what we need is foresight to stop indoor tanning and prevent the development of avoidable skin cancers," said Zeichner, who is also the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai according to Medical Xpress. "Dermatologists, primary care doctors, pediatricians, and lawmakers must work together to enforce stricter regulations on tanning and educate the public on the risk you put yourself at even after one tanning salon session."

The study was published in JAMA Dermatology.