Using sunbeds is known to increase the risk of developing malignant melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer which kills more than 2,000 people a year in the UK.
Tanning on sunbeds before the age of 35 has been linked to a 75% increased risk of developing malignant melanoma. One in 10 cases of malignant melanoma are among under-35s and 30% are among under-50s. More than 10,400 cases of malignant melanoma were recorded in the UK in 2006. Cases have quadrupled since the 1970s.
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's director of health information, said: "Allowing children to be regularly exposed to harmful radiation from sunbeds is irresponsible."
She said the charity was calling on the Government to take strong action to protect young people from the dangers of sunbeds. "Numerous other countries, including Scotland, have introduced legislation to protect children from sunbeds; we are calling on the Government to introduce legislation as a matter of urgency."
Should there be greater legislation to protect against sunbed use or should there be an outright ban on sunbeds overall? Are you a regular sunbed user? Do you fear that sunbed use will have an adverse effect on your health? Do you think that health issues arising from sunbed use have been blown out of proportion?
