New law needed in order to regulate coin-operated tanning salons

11 November 2009

The Welsh Government should immediately seek the power from Westminster to allow it to ban un-supervised coin-operated tanning salons.

That’s the view of the National Assembly for Wales’ Health Well-being & Local Government Committee who are also calling on the Government to ban under 18s from using salons.

“Despite the fact that evidence suggests that sunbeds can cause skin cancer, tanning salons seem to have escaped effective regulation.” said committee chair, Darren Millar AM.

“Self regulation within the industry, whilst welcome, has failed to prevent some of the horror stories we have seen here in Wales where children as young as ten have suffered serious burns using these un-supervised salons.

“Young people must be protected from the risks of unsupervised salons in the future.”

After a three-month inquiry in which the committee heard a range of evidence, including the tanning salon industry, cancer charities and the health minister.

The Committee concluded that:

• there is good evidence to suggest that use of sunbeds causes skin cancer;

• while there is no wholly safe dosage, children and young people are particularly at risk;

• that current laws provide insufficient safeguards against misuse, particularly by children and younger people.

Summary of Recommendations

The Welsh Government should seek the power to introduce new laws to regulate, license and, if necessary, impose sanctions on sunbed facilities and their operators.

These laws should be based on the recommendations of the COMARE Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) report on ‘The health effects and risks arising from exposure to ultraviolet radiation from tanning devices”.

The new law should ensure that:

• use by under 18s is prohibited;

• use by other high risk groups is discouraged;

• facilities provide full-time supervision by well-trained staff;

• use of protective eyewear is compulsory;

• information setting out the potential health risks of using sunbeds is prominently displayed and provided to all users;

• information containing unproven health benefits of sunbed use should be prohibited from premises;

• written informed consent is obtained from all clients prior to use; and that

• facilities should not be allowed to use sunbeds that do not comply with both the British and European Standards on sunbed irradiance levels.

The committee also asked the Minister for Health and Social Services to:

• Look at whether any of the claims by sunbed operators of health benefits from using sunbeds contravenes existing trading and advertising legislation.

• Look at increasing the funding it provides for the SunSmart campaign, particularly in relation to young people.  Sun Smart warns of the dangers of overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or sunbeds.