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Why Are Sunbeds Still Legal
12 décembre 2022

“I am very pleased to meet with the honourable Member to discuss the specific issues she has raised with respect to sunbeds.” Ministers will consider banning tanning beds in the UK to reduce cancer cases and deaths. “Logically, it is therefore possible to reduce the burden of skin cancer by banning the use of commercial tanning beds. In 2019, after surveying 245 dermatologists, the British Skin Foundation found that 77% of them wanted to ban tanning beds. Not only that, but 91% of participants believe tanning salons contribute significantly to skin cancer rates. So, should they really be banned? In terms of cost savings, the policy would save the NHS £700,000, which would translate into a net monetary benefit of £10.6 million. However, taking into account people who have used tanning beds over the age of 18, the savings for the NHS would be much greater. Ultraviolet exposure from tanning beds damages DNA in our skin cells, with tanning beds typically emitting more intense UV radiation than the sun. It is estimated that more than 60,000 children under the age of 18 use these beds illegally. She said: “Most skin cancers are preventable by reducing exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight and indoor tanning equipment – tanning beds/tanning beds.

So, as with many other regulatory issues, it`s up to the state and local government to decide who can use tanning salons. To date, 44 states and the District of Columbia prohibit or regulate indoor tanning of minors, and many counties and cities have enacted their own laws or regulatory measures. This has led to different restrictions on indoor tanning across the country. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued advice on the health risks associated with UV tanning equipment such as sunbeds, sunlamps and solar cabins. The findings add to a growing body of evidence from North America, Europe and Australia to support a complete ban on commercial tanning beds. Labour MP Sarah Owen (left) told MPs in the House of Commons today: “Sun loungers continue to be used at very high risk throughout the year. So does the Minister agree that it is time to take the dangers of tanning beds seriously and support Melanoma UK`s campaign to ban the use of tanning beds – and if not, why not? Health Secretary James Morris (right) replied: “Given the weather we are experiencing right now, melanoma issues are at the top of the priority list. I am very pleased to meet with the honourable Member to discuss the specific issues she has raised with respect to tanning beds. Children under 18 in England also use tanning beds illegally – the number is estimated at around 62,000. Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said: “Melanoma skin cancer rates are rising in the UK, but 86% of cases are preventable. We strongly advise you to avoid sun loungers. Various regulations have been adopted in a number of countries.

Brazil and Australia have banned commercial tanning bans. For example, countries such as Canada, France, Ireland and the United States of America have controls in place to prevent tanning bed operators from promoting non-cosmetic health benefits. In Italy, legal controls have been introduced requiring tanning bed operators to prohibit their use by fair-skinned people and pregnant women. When you consider the dangers of indoor tanning, it`s hard to believe that the practice is still legal for anyone, let alone children. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven carcinogen to humans, and more than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the United States each year are linked to indoor tanning. However, we know that young people across the country still use UV tanning beds. While Brazil and Australia are leading the way in indoor tanning legislation — tanning salons are completely banned in both countries — several other countries have also taken a step in the right direction by banning minors from using tanning beds. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tried to make the United States one of them by proposing regulations banning people under the age of 18 from attending tanning salons. Unfortunately, the proposed regulations are still not complete. For more than three decades, deliberate exposure to ultraviolent (UV) radiation for cosmetic purposes has increased the incidence of skin cancer and lowered the age of its first appearance, according to a new WHO report, “Indoor tanning devices: public health interventions to manage tanning beds.” There is evidence that the use of tanning beds is declining, but in general it is still widely used in many countries, including the UK.

Paul Lorigan, Professor of Oncology at the University of Manchester and Honorary Consultant as a Medical Oncologist at Christie NHS Foundation Trust, explained how the ban could prevent skin cancer and reduce deaths: “If the NHS invested in a public health campaign to support the ban on tanning beds, we believe melanoma and other skin cancers would be significantly reduced. NHS resources would be saved and deaths avoided. In 2009, WHO`s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified exposure to UV-emitting tanning equipment as carcinogenic to humans. More than 40 national and provincial authorities around the world have now issued absolute bans or restrictions on the use of sunbeds. However, much more work is needed to limit their use. It is illegal for people under the age of 18 to use sunbeds. The Tanning Beds (Regulation) Act 2010 makes it a criminal offence for a person under the age of 18 for a person who operates a tanning business: a basic tan cannot prevent sunburn. Many people believe that using a solarium to get a basic tan prevents sunburn. Absolute myth. If you have a basic tan, you can still burn. Every time you tan or burn, you also damage your skin`s DNA. The more you damage your DNA, the higher your risk of developing skin cancer.

Tanning beds emit ultraviolet (UV) rays, which increase the risk of developing skin cancer, both skin cancer (melanoma) and skin cancer (other than melanoma). Many tanning beds emit higher doses of UV rays than the tropical midday sun. Other states have adopted stricter regulations, but still fail to completely ban minors. Indiana prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from using tanning beds and requires minors as young as 16 or 17 to have authorization in the form of a document signed by a parent or guardian in the presence of the tanning facility operator — a restriction we know many teens will try to find ways to work.