KEY POINTS:
Calls for state control of sunbed salons and a minimum age of 18 have been renewed after researchers revealed a big rise in the number of the facilities.
Sunbed use is linked to an increased risk of the skin cancer melanoma, a disease for which New Zealand has
a very high incidence.
An Otago University study of the Yellow Pages found that the number of listings for indoor tanning, and those for "sunbed" services, more than doubled between 1992 and 2006.
Reporting their findings in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, researchers Janet Jopson and Dr Anthony Reeder say that they are probably an underestimate because they would not have captured the hotels, beauty salons and other organisations that do not advertise their services in the Yellow Pages.
The Cancer Society and the Green Party want the Government to regulate solariums and to ban their use by people under 18. The Cancer Society also wants the Government to follow Australian moves to replace the voluntary transtasman code of practice with laws to restrict access by teenagers.
A draft update of the code proposes to introduce a minimum age of 18.
The Otago researchers cite other studies showing:
* Eight per cent of New Zealanders report having used a sunbed in the preceding 12 months.
* Indoor tanning is associated with a near-doubling of the risk of melanoma among those who first used the equipment when aged less than 35.
The researchers say the increased melanoma risk may be because some tanning gear can emit sunburning ultraviolet radiation at up to five times the intensity of the midday summer sun. The greatest risk, they say, is probably from unsupervised commercial settings and when using the equipment at home.
Rudi Hofer, co-owner of Sunworld Professional Tanning Studio in Auckland, said its minimum age was 16, but as it complied with the code, it would increase its minimum to 18 when the update was implemented, "although we see no biological reason".
A spokeswoman for Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor said health officials were raising awareness among solarium operators about the need to comply with the code. If they did not comply, regulation might be considered.
INDOOR TANNING
* Researchers studied Yellow Pages listings for 1992, 1996, 2001 and 2006.
* Listings for indoor tanning services rose from 226 to 545.
* Listings that specified "sunbed" services rose from 111 to 247.