Oakville banned tanning bed use for teens under age 18 on Tuesday, becoming the first municipality in Ontario to do so.
After considering long-standing warnings from medical experts, Councillors Ralph Robinson and Pam Damoff led the adoption of the amendment.
The Canadian Cancer Society says exposure to radiation from tanning beds is the most common cause of melanoma, a lethal skin cancer.
“It’s important that young people are aware of the risks associated with UV rays and the skin damage caused by the type of radiation used in tanning equipment,” said Mayor of Oakville Rob Burton in a release.
He noted that in 2007 the town took leadership on banning cosmetic pesticides, an initiative adopted province-wide in 2009.
“Perhaps our leadership will make provincial action happen again,” said Burton.
Oakville also issued a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty asking that tanning beds for 18 year olds and under be made illegal in Ontario. The town also requested that the Chief Medical Officer of Health look into prohibiting the use of tanning beds by teens in the Halton Region.
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