Sunbed Firms To Tighten Up On Under 18 Useage

Sunbed companies are gearing up for a fight, as they are warned they could face fines of up to £20,000 for under-18 sunbed use. One professional body says the new rules are not tough enough, while the tanning beds industry body says there is no scientific justification for the ban to be set at 18.
Businesses in England and Wales which allow people under 18 to use sunbeds face fines of up to £20,000 under new rules that come into force today.
The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 will stop young people from using sunbeds in a wide range of places, including tanning salons, hotels, gyms and leisure centres.
However, one environmental health body said the rule changes did not go far enough and called for even tougher controls - due to come into effect in Wales later this year - to be applied in England as well.
Firms face £20,000 fines for under-18 sunbed use One professional body says the new rules are not tough enough, while the tanning industry body says there is no scientific justification for the ban to be set at 18 (continued) Rules 'not tough enough'
However, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) said the rules were not tough enough and should have encompassed extra regulations being introduced in Wales. From 31st October, unstaffed tanning salons in the principality will be banned and under-18s will be prevented from buying or hiring tanning equipment.
Sunbed businesses in Wales will also have to provide health information and protective eyewear to customers.
Andrew Griffiths, CIEH Policy Officer, said in a statement: "We are now urging the Government to follow the example set by Welsh Assembly Government by implementing the powers given to it under the Act to introduce subsidiary regulations increasing the protection given to sunbed users."
A ban on sunbed use by under-18s was introduced in Scotland in December 2009. The Scottish legislation also included a ban on unstaffed tanning salons and forced operators to provide health information and eyewear. Sunbed operators say they were 'ignored'
The Sunbed Association, which represents the tanning industry, also said the latest legislation should have gone further. It says it lobbied unsuccessfully for unstaffed tanning salons to be outlawed and for all sunbeds to have a maximum UV output.
In a press release, the Association said there was "no science" to support the ban being imposed for under-18s and that its members had always been required to prohibit use by under-16s. It said, as a result of the new law, the age bar was now being raised to 18.
Earlier this week, Cancer Research UK released figures showing more than 900 young Britons aged between 15 and 34 are being diagnosed with melanoma each year - more than two a day. It said that compared with around 290 cases of the disease annually in the late 1970s. Skin cancer advice
Caroline Cerny, Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart campaign manager, said in a statement: "With summer approaching after such a harsh winter, everyone is looking forward to enjoying some sunshine. But it’s more important than ever to be aware of the dangers of getting sunburnt.
"Nor are sunbeds a safe alternative to tanning. In fact using a sunbed before the age of 35 can increase your risk of melanoma by 75 per cent."
Cerny cautioned that young women needed to be particularly careful as they were "more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than young men".
In 2009, Cancer Research UK released details of a survey which found that an average of 6% of 11 to 17 year olds in England used sunbeds, with that figure rising to 11% in the north.