Report Issues Cancer Warning For Sunbed Users

A report has issued the stark warning that sunbed users could be increasing their risk of developing malignant melanoma by 75 per cent.

Cancer Research UK, the body that carried out the research, says that using sun beds from an early age significantly increases the risk of developing the deadly cancer.

A poll conducted by the charity has also found that an alarming 82% of 4,000 people fell into danger zone of sunbed users - those being under 35 years of age.

The report follows the British Association of Dermatologists call for under 18s to be banned from using sunbeds and more stringent controls on coin operated booths.

The SunSmart campaign - run by Cancer Research UK - warns that overuse of sun beds can be as dangerous as getting sunburnt on the beach.

Rebecca Russell, the SunSmart campaign manager, said: "The results of our survey make for a stark warning to young people about the dangers of indoor tanning.

"Everytime you use a sunbed you are harming your skin and increasing your risk of skin cancer.

"We would like to legislation to prevent under-18s using sunbeds and to ban unmanned coin-operated sundbeds, which can attract under-age and vulnerable users."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "We intend to gather more information about the number and distribution of sunbeds and the scale of sunbed by minors. These measures are part of our review of options for possible regulation of the sunbed industry, including coin-operated sunbeds."

Professor Mike Richards, the Government's national cancer director also commented: "It is a matter of particular concern that children may be getting access to sunbeds and it is also important that they should have information about the dangers of excessive exposure to UV."

However, Kathy Banks, chief executive of the Sunbed Association says that there is no proven link between skin cancer and sunbed use.

"People who use a sunbed must be suitable to use one and must use it according to their natural tanning ability."

Skin cancer is the fastest rising cancer in the UK, almost 9,000 cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed yearly and there are more than 1,800 deaths from the illness.

(DS/JM)