In an effort to dispel the common misconception that tanning beds are safer than the sun, the Ontario Medical Association wants to restrict artificial tanning for youth under 18.
“Exposure to ultraviolet rays from tanning beds is no safer than exposure to UV rays from the sun,” OMA President Dr. Suzanne Strasberg said in a statement Monday.
“Regardless of the source, UV rays damage the skin and increase your chances of getting skin cancer, which can be deadly,” she said.
The OMA’s move comes on the heels of a bill introduced in the House of Commons last month seeking stronger labeling on tanning beds to communicate cancer risks, especially to youth.
Conservative member of Parliament James Bezan’s bill calls for larger and more visible radiation warning labels that draw a clear link between skin cancer and ultraviolet rays. The labels would recommend that those under 18 not use tanning beds. Current labels do not include such warnings and are often not clearly visible.
“According to a recent study, in 87 percent of tanning salons radiation warning labels could not be seen,” Bezan said in a press release. “Canadians need to know that tanning beds increase your risk of cancer, especially during our younger years.”
In July 2009 the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), elevated ultraviolet-emitting tanning beds to its highest cancer risk group and labeled them as “carcinogenic to humans,” along with cigarettes, arsenic, and asbestos.
The agency also stated that the risk of skin cancer is increased by 75 percent when a person starts using tanning devices before the age of 30.
The Canadian Cancer Society, WHO, and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection strongly recommend the restriction of minors from using tanning beds.
However, the Joint Canadian Tanning Association (JCTA) has criticized Bezan’s bill and says there is no data to suggest that tanning is more dangerous for any specific age group. They claim that skin type, rather than age, is more important in determining whether tanning is damaging and advises people with fair skin against using tanning beds.
For youth, JCTA favors requiring parents of those under 16 to sign an approval form in the salon and it says it wants to work with the provinces to help regulate industry operating standards across the country.
The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) says one of the busiest seasons for indoor tanning starts in January when many teens tan before spring break.
CDA has been running a campaign called “Indoor Tanning is Out” to warn people—especially young women—about the link between skin cancer and sunbeds. The association says one Canadian dies of skin cancer about every seven hours.
Bezan said the inspiration for his private member’s bill came from personal experience after his wife, who used both tanning beds and natural sunlight, was twice diagnosed with melanoma.
“Like so many Canadians, my family has experienced the devastating impacts of skin cancer,” he said. “It’s time we strike back against this hidden health risk and make Canadians aware of the hazards of regular and repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation through tanning.”
In the United States, many states already require parental consent for minors to use tanning salons and some states are also considering preventing under 18-year-olds from artificial tanning.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires some level of sunlamp labeling but is considering strengthening their warnings about skin cancer and irreversible eye damage and it also wants to make labels easier for consumers to understand.
“Although some people think that a tan gives them a ‘healthy’ glow, any tan is a sign of skin damage,” says Sharon Miller, an FDA scientist on the agency’s Web site.
“Exposure to ultraviolet rays from tanning beds is no safer than exposure to UV rays from the sun,” OMA President Dr. Suzanne Strasberg said in a statement Monday.
“Regardless of the source, UV rays damage the skin and increase your chances of getting skin cancer, which can be deadly,” she said.
The OMA’s move comes on the heels of a bill introduced in the House of Commons last month seeking stronger labeling on tanning beds to communicate cancer risks, especially to youth.
Conservative member of Parliament James Bezan’s bill calls for larger and more visible radiation warning labels that draw a clear link between skin cancer and ultraviolet rays. The labels would recommend that those under 18 not use tanning beds. Current labels do not include such warnings and are often not clearly visible.
“According to a recent study, in 87 percent of tanning salons radiation warning labels could not be seen,” Bezan said in a press release. “Canadians need to know that tanning beds increase your risk of cancer, especially during our younger years.”
In July 2009 the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), elevated ultraviolet-emitting tanning beds to its highest cancer risk group and labeled them as “carcinogenic to humans,” along with cigarettes, arsenic, and asbestos.
The agency also stated that the risk of skin cancer is increased by 75 percent when a person starts using tanning devices before the age of 30.
The Canadian Cancer Society, WHO, and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection strongly recommend the restriction of minors from using tanning beds.
However, the Joint Canadian Tanning Association (JCTA) has criticized Bezan’s bill and says there is no data to suggest that tanning is more dangerous for any specific age group. They claim that skin type, rather than age, is more important in determining whether tanning is damaging and advises people with fair skin against using tanning beds.
For youth, JCTA favors requiring parents of those under 16 to sign an approval form in the salon and it says it wants to work with the provinces to help regulate industry operating standards across the country.
The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) says one of the busiest seasons for indoor tanning starts in January when many teens tan before spring break.
CDA has been running a campaign called “Indoor Tanning is Out” to warn people—especially young women—about the link between skin cancer and sunbeds. The association says one Canadian dies of skin cancer about every seven hours.
Bezan said the inspiration for his private member’s bill came from personal experience after his wife, who used both tanning beds and natural sunlight, was twice diagnosed with melanoma.
“Like so many Canadians, my family has experienced the devastating impacts of skin cancer,” he said. “It’s time we strike back against this hidden health risk and make Canadians aware of the hazards of regular and repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation through tanning.”
In the United States, many states already require parental consent for minors to use tanning salons and some states are also considering preventing under 18-year-olds from artificial tanning.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires some level of sunlamp labeling but is considering strengthening their warnings about skin cancer and irreversible eye damage and it also wants to make labels easier for consumers to understand.
“Although some people think that a tan gives them a ‘healthy’ glow, any tan is a sign of skin damage,” says Sharon Miller, an FDA scientist on the agency’s Web site.
