The South Australian government has confirmed that it will be banning commercial use of tanning beds in solariums with the ban coming into effect in 2015.
The South Australian government has confirmed that it will be banning commercial use of tanning beds in solariums with the ban coming into effect in 2015. The government said that the main reason for the ban was due to the concerns of health risks associated with the tanning beds.
A number of studies have shown that using tanning beds increased the risk of the most deadly form of skin cancer, or melanomas, by as much as 20 percent and the risk doubled in people who started using the tanning beds before they were 35 years old. The government said that it will be providing advice to the operators of tanning salons on how they can adapt their businesses to survive.
The ban was welcomed by Cancer Council CEO Brenda Wilson who said that there is no safe level on which such tanning beds can operate. “The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classed UV-emitting tanning beds as a Grade 1 carcinogen, the highest risk category. Solaria emit levels of UV radiation up to three times as strong as the midday summer sun, with about 15 per cent exceeding this level and emitting UVA radiation up to six times as strong. There is no safe level of solaria use”, she said.
Source-Medindia