Harney backs ban on sunbeds
Health Minister Mary Harney today backed a blanket ban on sunbeds in a bid to tackle growing levels of skin cancer.
Amid consultation on tough laws potentially banning youngsters from tanning shops, Ms Harney said she asked officials to explore the possibility of completely outlawing the industry.
“I would personally like to ban sunbeds for everybody,” the minister said.
“It’s a no-brainer – we know the huge level of skin cancer in Ireland, we know that 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,” the minister said.
“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, the minister added.
According to the National Cancer Registry’s most recent figures, there were 99 deaths from skin cancer in 2007 and 7,743 new cases recorded.
Meanwhile cases of cancer in Ireland are to jump by more than a third in the next decade, experts predicted.
The Irish Cancer Society 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 state-wide approach to tackling the deadly condition.
CEO 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.
“Twenty-nine per cent 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.”
