Institute of Public Health calls for ban on sunbeds
A ban on sunbeds has been recommended by the Institute of Public Health to help tackle spiralling rates of skin cancer in Ireland, now among the highest in the world.
People who use sunbeds for the first time before the age of 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.
Irish data which fed into the new report, published on Wednesday, shows that 5.2% of children aged 10 to 17 reported ever using a sunbed.A further 4.4% of this age group reported using a sunbed in the last 12 months.By 2023, some 363 sunbed outlets were registered with the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service. Among these 78 were in Dublin, 49 in Cork and 23 in Limerick.During 368 inspections, the HSE found 394 infringements including the unsafe use of sunbeds by adults and accepting underage customers.Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with over 11,000 cases of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed annually.Ultraviolet light emitted from sunbeds is recognised as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization and the European Commission, the report also stated.This overview of sunbed use and policy options to reduce skin cancer risk examines a range of options.However, the Institute of Public Health concluded that a ban would be the most effective move.Its director of policy Helen McAvoy warned that sunbeds are still being used by children.“A ban on sunbeds has been shown to work,” Dr McAvoy said.
In Australia, it is estimated to have prevented tens of thousands of skin cancers and led to significant health cost savings.
“Introducing a similar ban on sunbeds in Ireland could help to stem skin cancer rates, which are projected to double over the next 20 years.”Minister of state for public health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor has set up a working group to examine how a ban on commercial sunbeds could be implemented.“This report reinforces what we already know, there is no safe level of sunbed use,” she said.“Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, and we must act decisively to protect our population, particularly our young people, from preventable harm.”
Comments (0)