Harney seeks total ban on sunbeds in cancer battle

THE use of sunbeds may be banned in a bid to tackle growing levels of skin cancer.

Amid consultation on tough laws potentially banning youngsters from tanning shops, Health Minister Mary Harney said she has asked officials to explore the possibility of completely outlawing the industry.

“I would personally like to ban sunbeds for everybody,” said the minister. “It’s a no-brainer – we know the huge level of skin cancer in Ireland, we know sunbeds are dangerous and hugely contributing to people developing skin cancer.”

Ms Harney was at the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin’s RDS organised by cycling star and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.

She said she hoped legislation on the underage use of tanning beds would be ratified quickly.

“It’s particularly sad to see children as young as six or seven, in advance of their First Holy Communion for example, being exposed to sunbeds. That’s why the priority has to be children,” said Ms Harney.

“But clearly if I could do it on a wider scale that’s something I would like to give full consideration to, and I have asked the department to look at that to see if it’s possible.”

EU approval on a total ban could well be forthcoming in the interests of public health, Ms Harney added.

According to the National Cancer Registry’s recent figures, there were 99 skin cancer deaths in 2007 and 7,743 new cases recorded.

Meanwhile, cases of cancer will jump by more than a third in the next decade, experts predict.

The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) warned almost 30,000 diagnoses will be made next year but that figure will surge to 40,000 by 2020.

The body also demanded the Government continue to roll out the national cancer control plan to devise a statewide approach to tackling the deadly condition.

ICS chief executive John McCormack said much work needed to be done to change people’s mindsets about smoking and using sunbeds.

“We are only six years off 2015 and we have so much work to do to reduce cancer incidence and increase survival rates for those who do develop cancer,” he said.

“One in three of our population smoke and 6% use sunbeds. Tobacco and sunbeds are highly dangerous cancer-causing agents. We need more progressive tobacco control measures and the immediate ban on sunbeds, especially for young people.”

Research by Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong foundation warned of the crippling economic cost of treating patients in hospital, buying expensive drugs and loss of earnings and carers’ fees.

In Ireland, more than 15,000 cancer cases will create costs of almost €440m.