Teens have been banned from using tanning beds in the Capital Region, but the debate leading up to the decision has slandered the industry and hurt business, says a Langford salon owner.

The Capital Regional District passed a bylaw on Jan. 12 forbidding teenagers younger than 18 from using tanning beds for cosmetic purposes, based on public input and a recommendation from Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer for the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

One of the pivotal arguments cited is that risk of melanoma of the skin increases by 75 per cent when people start using tanning beds before age 35.

That data came out of the World Health OrganizationB次元官网网址檚 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which led to WHO recommending people under 18 not use tanning beds.

Marie Page, owner of Maya Sun Salons in Langford, argues the IARC report indicates the actual risk of developing melanoma from a tanning bed is 0.3 per cent, versus 0.2 per cent for people who donB次元官网网址檛 tan at all.

An analysis of the IARC report by health researchers and released by the Joint Tanning Association of Canada showed a six per cent increase in risk, not statistically significant, from using professional tanning beds.

The 75 per cent number is derived from averaging the increased risk from medical tanning equipment and home equipment, the report said.

Page agrees that one melanoma case is too many, but says that kind of cancer is rare in general and that citing a 75 per cent increase amounts to fear mongering.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 care about the (teenage) ban. It makes no difference financially to us, but itB次元官网网址檚 hard to run a business with that kind of information coming out,B次元官网网址� Page says. B次元官网网址淢y concern is the negative perception of tanning. Under 18 is not the issue.B次元官网网址�

Page pointed out that few teens use tanning salons B次元官网网址� in seven years of business sheB次元官网网址檚 had 27 customers under the age of 18, most who came in for a pre-tan before a vacation.

Page and other tanning business owners recommended the CRD ban people with skin that doesnB次元官网网址檛 tan and is at high risk of burning, known at Type 1 skin.

B次元官网网址淏anning Type 1 skin types would hit the full population in terms of safety and would get rid of salons not doing things properly,B次元官网网址� she says.

Stanwick said his main concern is the long latency period to develop skin cancer related to ultraviolet exposure. He acknowledged the debate at the CRD board table had B次元官网网址渄uelling statistics.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲ith melanomas, it may take 10 years to develop consequences. Most people see it 20, 30 or 40 years out,B次元官网网址� Stanwick said in an interview. B次元官网网址淭he earlier you start (tanning), the earlier cancer will be present.

B次元官网网址淭anning beds were introduced in the 1980s and 1990s, and we are just now seeing the consequences of intensive tanning.B次元官网网址�

He noted that young people younger are still growing and developing, and put themselves at greater risk when tanning. The UV intensity tanning salons offer is much higher than what Greater Victoria experiences and can be higher than what is seen in nature, Stanwick said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not saying tanning isnB次元官网网址檛 available,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲e are going after vulnerable children and youth. Kids are different than adults in terms of risk.B次元官网网址�

Metchosin Mayor John Ranns, the single opposition vote at the CRD board, calls the age cutoff in the bylaw inconsistent with other laws regulating teenage behaviour.

He also points out this is the first CRD bylaw that regulates an activity that doesnB次元官网网址檛 directly impact the health of other people, such as with anti-smoking bylaws.

B次元官网网址淲e did tobacco bylaws based on third-party safety and to protect the general public,B次元官网网址� Ranns says. B次元官网网址淭o me the weight of evidence wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough to justify a ban (on tanning). The evidence was ambiguous and the industry made good points not addressed by VIHA.B次元官网网址�

As a middle ground and to be consistent with driving laws, Ranns tried to amend the tanning bylaw to people younger than 16. That was defeated at the board table.

B次元官网网址淲ith tanning, if you do it wrong, many years down the road you may get skin cancer,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the same if you screw up when youB次元官网网址檙e driving.

B次元官网网址淭he question is where is this leading to? This bylaw ventures into new territory. ItB次元官网网址檚 banning something for a personB次元官网网址檚 own good. ItB次元官网网址檚 a slippery slope. We have to be very cautious.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com