Tanning | Australia Starts To Say No To Sunbeds

[The Ed.]

Australia is probably the most skin-cancer conscious country in the world. A step ahead of the rest of us when it comes to school sun-safety campaigns, they are now blazing the trail when it comes to sunbeds.

While the UK is busy trying to regulate the sunbed industry, Queensland is likely to be the first Australian state to put an outright ban on sunbeds. The new changes to legislation will mean that all tanning units in Queensland will be switched off on December 31st 2014 and similar bans are being proposed in other states.

Lawrence Springbog, Australian Health Minister, says, "Consultation with the industry has shown that businesses feel confident in being able to transition away from the use of UV tanning products without adversely impacting the business."

The planned legislation was announced in December 2012 giving time for business to plan and adjust and the government will offer compensation to Queensland businesses at AUD$1000 per sunbed.

Similar bans are being proposed in New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. At present, there is no talk of a similar ban in the UK but instead regulations insist that all beds must comply with 0.3W/m² legislation that is described as having emissions no more than the midday mediterranean sun. Ok, but you can still catch skin cancer in Greece, no?

Should the UK be considering a similar ban? Is regulating sun beds no different to regulating the cigarette industry?

Until then...geek on!

The Ed.

 

[virtues2011]

You'll probably watch the amount of people with osteoporosis increase. . wasn't there a story recently where GP's were advising people through the winter months to use sunbeds to reduce the risk of brittle bones. I'm sure Gweneth Paltrow has recently been diagnosed with this and endorsed the sunbed industry. However don't quote me on this as I heard it from an Ergoline Salesman!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[ch-ela]

Vitamin D would help with that Virtues. Can be taken as medication also to help through bouts of SAD.

Tbh, if I lived in Queensland or anywhere in Australia I don't think I would need a sunbed!

 

[virtues2011]

Vitamin D would help with that Virtues. Can be taken as medication also to help through bouts of SAD.

Tbh, if I lived in Queensland or anywhere in Australia I don't think I would need a sunbed!

Oh yes absolutely, you need at least a 1000IU per day of vitamin D supplements - some people just can not digest it. There is some good articles on the Sunbed association website. Like everything though - moderation and sensibility to control is paramount....wish I could take my own advice over sweets and chocolates! Do Australians need sunbeds - probably not with their climate but the way the world is changing they probably will have 9 months of snow within the next ten years - anything is possible. I wouldn't ban them just yet. Ha Ha

 

[mcmillsa]

I lived in Brisbane Queensland for 5 years returned last year I found that most Australians don't bake in the sun (too hot & humid in the summer). Whilst living there I never sunbathed and wore factor 30 all the time yet still always had a colour. Worked as community nurse there and came across lots of skin cancers it puts you off for life. I now wear factor 50 on my face every day.
We are much more informed now. I Never saw a sun bed shop anywhere not that I was looking, never knew anyone that used them either. Still surprised in this day and age and the awareness we have that people use sunbeds (I did years ago). A dermatologist informed us at a recent conference in regards to vit D that we should go out in the sun and get some rays but don't go red that is when the damage is done.