Under-18s tanning ban bid supported (From The Northern Echo)

Under-18s tanning ban bid supported

8:15am Thursday 1st April 2010 in Sunbed Safety By Barry Nelson, Health Editor

A CAMPAIGN by The Northern Echo to prevent under-18s using sunbeds has moved another important step towards becoming law.

But because of the looming General Election there is a real danger it may run out of parliamentary time.

On Tuesday night, The Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill gained an unopposed second reading in the House of Lords.

This means that there is a good chance that the Bill will become law next week – but only if included in the socalled “wash-up” period, when the political parties work together to push through unfinished legislation.

Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said the Government fully supports the Bill.

But last night Jon Spiers, Cancer Research UK’s head of campaigns, warned there is still a danger that it may not become law because Parliament will be dissolved once the General Election has been announced.

The Bill places a duty on salon operators to prevent the use of sunbeds by under-18s and gives local authorities increased powers to inspect tanning salons and penalise owners who breach the ban.

Crossbencher Lady Finlay, opening debate in the Lords, said: “This is a Bill that would protect our children. It is necessary, workable and enforceable.

This is a Bill that could save lives.”

The Northern Echo launched its Sunbed Safety campaign in 2008 after 15- year-old Katie Turner, from Darlington, was hospitalised after a 20-minute session at a tanning salon.

Meanwhile, statistics revealed by the Cancer Research UK charity to launch its annual SunSmart campaign showed that people in their 60s and 70s are now more than five times more likely to be diagnosed with the deadliest type of skin cancer than their parents would have been 30 years ago.

This shows the impact that a shift in tanning behaviour has had on men and women, who would have been in their 20s and 30s during the dawn of inexpensive package holidays and the arrival of sunbeds.

In the North-East, 118 people in their 60s and 70s are diagnosed with malignant melanoma every year. This represents more than a third of all cases in the region.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, 286 people in their 60s and 70s get malignant melanoma every year.

Cancer Research UK spokeswoman Caroline Cerney said: “Everyone should avoid the temptation to redden or burn in order to get a tan.”