I still don't get why one would think that wearing a helmet means the activity should be banned. To me, it just doesn't make sense. I have no problem with someone telling me what to do if safety is involved. I guess this is unusual?
I am not a downhill skier, but everyone I know who is wears a helmet. Adults. Same for horseback riders.
I grew up in the 50's, 60's, went to college in the 70's; of course I didn't wear a helmet then. There weren't any. My 2 kids even learned to ride without helmets in the late 80's. They were 7 and 9 when we bought helmets for all 4 of us, even though DH and I hardly rode. Once I caught my older son riding ddown a huge hill with his helmet hanging from the handlebars when he was 12. I was in one of those rental car pick up vans, so he didn't know it was me driving by... I scared the cr*ap out of him when he got home and I said, "Helmet on the handlebars does not protect your head."