Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013 aims to restrict and regulate the use of sunbeds in order to protect the public from the risk of skin cancer posed by UV radiation exposure. The Bill would ban sunbed operators from allowing the use of sunbeds by people aged under 18 on their premises or through sale or hire to this age group. It also introduces a mandatory notification system for those operators and a range of regulations relating to staff training and health warnings among other things.

The HSE will be the enforcement body and the Bill provides for a range of penalties. People who use sunbeds generally do so for cosmetic and psychological benefits. However, medical evidence accepted by authoritative bodies such as the World Health Organization show that exposure to UV radiation during sunbed use may cause skin cancer, eye damage and premature skin ageing.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland.

In 2010, 9,450 people were diagnosed with skin cancer in Ireland and, of those, 896 were diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. A 2010 survey for the Irish Cancer Society estimated that just fewer than 140,000 people in Ireland use sunbeds on a regular basis. Some 88% of those who use sunbeds are women and 20% are between the ages of 15 and 24. The incidence of skin cancer is increasing worldwide and the number of melanoma cases in Ireland has increased more than 66% in the past ten years.

Sunbed use in increasing and tanning devices are more powerful than even a decade ago. Consequences of regular sunbed use could include pain and suffering, early death, disfigurement and substantial cost for the national health systems in screening and monitoring skin cancer patients.

Most skin cancer is caused by ultraviolet radiation through sun exposure and sunbed use and is therefore preventable. Other causes of skin cancer include genetic factors and a history of sunburn. Young people are particularly at risk when they use sunbeds as people who start using sunbeds before the age of 30 have a 75% increased risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. As a result of this additional risk, there has been longstanding professional advice against children using sunbeds. However, this message does not appear to be getting through and a large number of children are using sunbeds.

Research conducted by the Irish Cancer Society in April 2010 found that 28,000 young people under the age of 25 use sunbeds in Ireland. The majority of these children use sunbeds once a week. The British Association of Dermatologists has identified a number of groups who should never use sunbeds. They include those under the age of 18, those with fair, freckly skin that does not normally tan with sun exposure, those with a large number of moles, those with a history of skin cancer, and those with abnormal sensitivity to the sun due to photosensitive diseases, sun allergies or the taking of medication. They also argued that advertising material claiming health benefits of sunbed use should be prohibited.

The Bill provides for the control of the remote sale or hire of sunbeds; Internet transactions; a requirement that sunbed operators provide training for staff; an enforcement regime to enable inspections to be carried out by the HSE and the imposition of penalties for non-compliance including fixed payment notices; an obligation on sunbed operators to provide protective eyewear and that the sunbeds are maintained in a clean and hygienic condition; a requirement that warning signs be displayed in sunbed premises; a prohibition on certain claims attributing health benefits to sunbed use; a prohibition on promotional marketing practices; a requirement on operators to ensure that sunbed users are made fully aware of the potential dangers of sunbed use and that they are given an opportunity to read the health information form and sign it; and an exemption to enable medically supervised phototherapy treatment within the health system.

It has also been suggested that the broader public health information campaigns about the dangers of sun and sunbed exposure are important in achieving an overall policy goal of reducing illness related to ultraviolet radiation exposure. Many people use sunbeds before holidays in sunny countries in the belief that a sunbed-acquired tan will afford them protection from the sun as well as improving their appearance. The level of protection afforded by a sunbed tan is, however, small and is associated with morbidity.

The HSE is under an obligation to compile and maintain a list of persons who own sunbed businesses under section 13. At present there is no such list or registration process. Owners of sunbed businesses are under a duty to notify the HSE in writing that they provide sunbeds for use, sale or hire. This notification must be made within six months of this section being commenced. A person who intends to carry on a sunbed business must notify the HSE of this intention no later than 30 days before commencing business.

Up to nine out of ten cases of skin cancer are caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun or from sunbeds and, as such, can be prevented. Reducing exposure to ultraviolet rays significantly reduces the risk of developing skin cancer.

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