"Artificial tanning accounts for about half a million new cancer diagnoses each year in the United States of America, Europe and Australia. Evidence of an association between artificial tanning and risk of skin cancer clearly shows that the risk is highest in those exposed to artificial tanning in early life. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) responded to this growing public health challenge by publishing a guidance document on sunbed legislation, Artificial Tanning Sunbeds, Risks and Guidance. In addition, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified exposure to UV-emitting tanning devices (sunbeds) as carcinogenic to humans in 2009. Since then, momentum has been building among policy-makers to regulate sunbed use and now more than 40 national or provincial authorities around the world have implemented outright bans or restrictions on the use of sunbeds.”
The “Artificial tanning devices – public health interventions to manage sunbeds” document is intended for government health authorities, to assist in the development of public health interventions in relation to the use and management of sunbeds. The document provides a summary of health effects as well as a catalogue of interventions that have been used to reduce risks associated with artificial tanning. It is supplemented by a WHO database on sunbed regulations.
Source: WHO