Sunbed crackdown to slap salon tan ban on under-18s

Published on Saturday 5 January 2008 10:11

A NEW law to ban under-18s from using sunbeds is set to be passed by the Scottish Parliament.

Holyrood's health committee will next week consider a package of proposals including introducing the age limit, outlawing the use of unstaffed or coin-operated sunbeds and requiring information to be provided to customers on the risks of using sunbeds.

The measures have been put forward by Labour backbencher Ken Macintosh, who originally planned a member's Bill to create a new licensing system for tanning salons.

But now SNP ministers have given their backing to his proposals for a crackdown on sunbeds, which will be introduced through amendments to the Public Health Bill now going before parliament.

In a letter to the committee, Mr Macintosh said: "These are very much the regulations at the heart of my proposed Bill but backed up by public health legislation rather than a local authority licence.

"The Public Health Minister, Shona Robison, has indicated that the Scottish Government also wishes to take action to tackle skin cancer and are supporting me in moving these amendments.

"I believe there is widespread support for these amendments, not least amongst dermatologists, cancer charities and others in the cancer community."

Dr Claire Benton, consultant dermatologist at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and chairwoman of the Dermatology Council for Scotland, has submitted written evidence to the committee, arguing sunbeds are partly responsible for the three- or four-fold rise in skin cancers in Scotland over the past three decades.

She said: "We have become increasingly concerned over the culture that a sun-tanned skin, however acquired, is desirable, as the use of commercial sun parlours alone has lead to an estimated 100 deaths per annum from malignant melanoma in the UK."

Dr Benton welcomed the move to ban under-18s from using sunbeds, pointing out: "A huge emphasis has been placed on other important public health measures with restrictions on, and education targeted at younger age groups on misuse of alcohol, tobacco and drugs."

Edinburgh City Council said it already did not allow unstaffed or coin-operated tanning parlours. The old Edinburgh District Council had decided in 1994 that sunbed salons should come within the scope of the public entertainment licensing scheme.

But the council said there were no powers at the moment for local authorities to operate an age ban.

A council spokesman said: "Public safety is of paramount importance, which is why we already have significant controls in place. We will be following developments at the parliament with interest."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said discussions were continuing with Mr Macintosh about his proposals to regulate sunbeds, but measures were expected to be included in the legislation.

She said: "International evidence suggests there is a risk of melanoma in people who first used sunbeds in their teens and early twenties and the World Health Organisation recommends under-18s do not use sunbeds."