Strong calls for ban on sunbeds

Calls to regulate the sunbed industry have been backed by a sunbed provider and melanoma support group in Tauranga, while a local cosmetic surgeon wants them banned altogether.
The sunbed debate has been reignited following a Consumer NZ survey which found only 10 per cent of sunbed outlets met the voluntary criteria for safety.
The mystery-shopper survey on 69 sunbed outlets across the country found only seven of those met the voluntary standards.
The criteria requirements includes skin assessments, consent forms, eye protection and warning notices.
"Unfortunately New Zealand has a voluntary standard for sunbed operators," the Cancer Society's skin cancer adviser, Dr Judith Galtry, said.
"It includes informing clients about the dangers of UV radiation and providing goggles for eye protection. It also requires that sunbed operators say "no" to high-risk groups - especially people with very fair skin, and those under the age of 18."
The voluntary standard wasn't legally enforceable and the Government needed to act to regulate the industry, she said.
Adam Bialostocki, cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon at Bay Plastic Surgery, said he would support a total ban of sunbeds.
"I don't think there is a place for them in an enlightened and modern society.
"We have a high-enough skin cancer rate here in New Zealand without feeding the fire with sunbeds too. There are safer ways to look like you have a tan, so I would support them being banned altogether."
Mr Bialostocki said he tells patients 10 sessions on a sunbed session in a year will quadruple the risk of melanoma.
Ellen Orr, who established the Tauranga Melanoma Friends' group, said she disagreed with the use of sunbeds.
She knew of at least one person in Tauranga whose cancer had been caused by using sunbeds, and the group had recently met with Tauranga MP Simon Bridges to express its concerns.
Mr Bridges said he had met with both dermatologists and melanoma victims in Tauranga to discuss the issue.
"It's certainly seems to me that there is a problem with young people using sunbeds," he said.
"Regulation is definitely one of the possibilities of dealing with this, but there may be other solutions as well."
While voluntary measures were in place, Mr Bridges said it was clear under 18s were still using sunbeds.
Britain banned under 18s from using sunbeds earlier this year, and the use of sunbeds was also banned for that age group in most states of Australia.
"We have a concern that [under 18s] are using them, and all the best research makes it clear that while they do the risk of melanoma skyrockets.
"That to me makes it quite clear that sunbeds are dangerous and some sort of response is highly desirable."
Amanda Arlidge, manager of Just Polished in Mount Maunganui, believed regulation would be "good for the industry".
"It might stop some of the bad publicity from some of the sunbed places that just chuck you on [without skin assessments and protective measures].
"When we have clients come in we talk them though everything. If they have got fair skin we won't let them go on for more than three minutes the first couple of times."
But she believed sunbeds were safe "as long as they are used in moderation" and only every second day.
Health promotion manager for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Division of the Cancer Society, Melanie Desmarais, said the long term consequences of modern sunbeds were not known.
The Cancer Society had been calling for mandatory regulation for many years now, she said.
"Surveys such as this one by Consumer magazine clearly show the lack of compliance with the voluntary regulations by the majority of sunbed operators across the country.
"Skin cancer is New Zealand's most common cancer, it is therefore necessary that we make these regulations mandatory to try to reduce the 50,000+ people who are developing skin cancer in New Zealand each year."
The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (Niwa) has looked at UVR levels of sunbeds in New Zealand and found levels were high to extreme and at times several times higher than that of midday summer sunlight.
Even one sunbed session before the age of 35 increased the melanoma risk by 75 per cent, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (past of the World Health Organisation). The agency has reclassified sunbeds as a 'group 1' carcinogen - the same category as cigarettes.
Other organisations that back the call for mandatory regulation for the industry include the New Zealand Dermatological Society, the Melanoma Network of NZ (Melnet), the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand and Cancer Control New Zealand.