Cancer Council welcomes Queensland solarium ban

Having banned new commercial solariums starting business since January this year, the Queensland Government is to ban all commercial sunbeds, with the Cancer Council welcoming Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg's announcement that ban will be in place from 31st December 2014.

Saying that the Queensland government's total ban on UV tanning beds will save lives, Cancer Council Queensland Chief Executive Jeff Dunn told the Guardian Australia "this is an important law to protect Queenslanders against melanoma and other potentially fatal skin cancers.

"The evidence is clear, sunbeds can be lethal."

Minister Springborg said the state had a role in protecting people from solarium health risks, adding "there's a cost to the community, there's a cost to families, there's a cost to individuals and the state does have a role."

Minister Springborg said the ban would prevent deaths in the same way regulation of the cigarette industry had.

Under the ban, Queensland's 44 solarium operators will be paid $1,000 in compensation for each tanning bed a total cost of $160,000.

Queensland Health will collect and dispose of the tanning beds.

The ban follows legislative changes in 2012 that banned licences for new solarium operations from 1st January this year.

Similar measures have been taken in NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT to regulate or ban sunbed use.

Cancer Council research shows sunbed users have a 20% higher risk of developing skin cancer, but this jumps to 59% if a sunbed is used before the age of 35, the Cancer Council says.

For more information go to www.sunsafety.qld.gov.au/tanning/

6th September 2013 - VICTORIA BANS COMMERCIAL TANNING UNITS FROM 2015

7th July 2013 - STUDY SHOWS DECREASING MELANOMA RATES AMONG UNDER 40S IN QUEENSLAND

18th December 2012 - QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT BANS NEW SOLARIUMS

30th July 2009 - 'NO DOUBT' SUNBEDS CAUSE CANCER

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