Tan ban for Ontario

by Madison Jean

A tan, whether you get it on the beach or in a bed, is extremely dangerous. After years of waiting, Ontario will finally join other provinces in banning the use of tanning beds by minors.

On Oct. 9, the Ontario government passed a teen tan ban to aid in the prevention of skin cancer. This bill will ban the sale of tanning services to youth under the age of 18 and requires retailers to request identification from anyone who appears to be under the age of 25. Health Minister Deb Matthews said it will take “months” of deliberation to develop arrangements of how the law will be enforced by local health units.

At the age of 23, Kelly Ducharme, was diagnosed with skin cancer. “I excessively started tanning at the age of 15. I used to go tanning almost every day,” said Ducharme. “My roommate in college had her own personal tanning bed and would let me use it whenever I wanted.”

Ducharme developed melanoma and is currently going through a host of treatments. The process of darkening the skin, tanning, is caused by harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning lamps. Ducharme said at the time she believed direct sunlight was worse than tanning beds and she wasn’t aware she sustained extreme skin cell damage.

A new study from the Skin Cancer Foundation has revealed a startling rise in melanoma among people aged 18 to 39. The Skin Cancer Foundation said over the past 40 years, rates of the potentially deadly skin cancer grew by 800 per cent among young women and 400 per cent among young men.

The Skin Cancer Foundation said 74 per cent of tanners are more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. Skin cancer is not the only danger of tanning but UV radiation has lead to premature skin aging.  Results include wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots and more.

The legislation took a full five years to come to a final vote. According to Matthews it was “needlessly delayed.” The Liberals plan to introduce a change that will ensure the bill passes by the end of the month.

“People who go into tanning salons should know what the risks are,” said Matthews, who has recognized 20 minutes in a tanning bed is 10 to 12 times more damaging than being exposed in the hot summer sun.

The new rules will also force all tanning salons to post government created posters that explain the risks of tanning to customers.

“Sure they ask if you have proper eye wear and tanning cream, but they never check, and you could always lie,” said Ducharme who is ecstatic that something is finally being done. “This can potentially save lives, and that makes me so happy that what has happened to me, doesn’t have to happen to someone else.”

On the Dark Side Tanning Salon employee Sabrina Humphrey believes this won’t stop people from tanning. “It’s like drinking underage. As much as they say it’s illegal it won’t stop people.”

Even though Humphrey works at a tanning salon, she says she doesn’t tan often. “I’ve seen what it can do to you, I’ve seen customers before and after, it’s not a pretty sight,” said Humphrey “I’m young, I don’t want my skin to wrinkle, and I sure don’t want something to happen to my eyes at a young age. It truly is dangerous, and even though I really don’t believe this will stop people, it sure is a good start.”

Similar tanning bans are in effect in Quebec, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canadian Cancer Society said lives could have been saved if the Liberal government had acted sooner for Ontario.

Matthews said, “By passing this bill, we are saving lives. Restricting access to tanning beds is one of the most important things we can do to help reduce the risk of skin cancer for our young people.”