Oak Bay High students have stood out for passionately opposing tanning beds, but it wonB次元官网网址檛 be long before theyB次元官网网址檙e in the same boat as teens across B.C.

The Ministry of Health announced a provincewide ban on tanning bed use by people under the age of 18 B次元官网网址� a change directly linked to the tan-free movement that began in Oak Bay.

Stephanie Wong and Adele Green, co-founders of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 Youth Against Cancer club, were B次元官网网址渆cstaticB次元官网网址� to hear Health Minister Michael de JongB次元官网网址檚 announcement Tuesday morning.

B次元官网网址淲hen the minister said they were actually going to restrict the use (of commercial tanning beds) for youth under the age of 18, we were shocked that the minister had made a decision so early, but not that he actually made the restriction,B次元官网网址� said Wong, now a second-year student at the University of Victoria, leading a Youth Against Cancer club on campus with Green. B次元官网网址淚t just goes to show the direct link between skin cancer and tanning beds.B次元官网网址�

Wong and Green were among the first to bring the issue of banning commercial tanning bed use in the Capital Regional District before the CRD board of directors in 2010. The board followed recommendations from Vancouver Island Health Authority chief medical health officer Richard Stanwick and supported a bylaw to ban tanning bed use by young people in January 2011.

Skin cancer remains the most common type of cancer in Canada. The B.C. Cancer Agency estimates that 966 British Columbians will be diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and 150 will die of it. In 2004, the total direct and indirect economic cost of skin cancer in Canada was estimated at $532 million.

B次元官网网址淭his is going to spark a generational change, which is ultimately what Adele and I have been working toward,B次元官网网址� Wong said. B次元官网网址淭his shows you donB次元官网网址檛 have to change the way your skin looks in order to live up to the portrait of beauty. B次元官网网址� People and youth should feel comfortable in the skin that theyB次元官网网址檙e living in and shouldnB次元官网网址檛 have to feel pressured to go and use these beds that would cause them to get skin cancer.B次元官网网址�

WongB次元官网网址檚 younger sister Jessica, a current student at Oak Bay High, has with her sisterB次元官网网址檚 work by recently promoting a Canadian Cancer Society tan-free grad challenge at the school.

TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement follows the release of a report by an indoor tanning working group that was established as a direct result of the CRD ban.

The proposed regulation under the Public Health Act does not apply to people under the age of 18 who have a medical prescription. It is anticipated to take effect this fall.