Sun sets on unsupervised sunbed use for young people

The government has announced a crackdown on sunbed use among young people, with plans to ban unsupervised sessions and introduce ID checks to stop under-18s accessing the devices. 

The measures, expected to form part of the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, would require sunbed users to prove they are over 18 and would end unsupervised sessions altogether. 

News of the plan arguably couldn’t have come at a better time. Although the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 already prohibits under-18s from using commercial sunbeds, evidence suggests the law isn’t being enforced by some businesses.  

The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies sunbeds as being as dangerous as smoking and warned that using a sunbed before the age of 20 increases the risk of melanoma – a type of skin cancer – by 47% compared with people who have never used one. 

Commenting on the announcement, health minister Karin Symth, said: ‘Stronger protections on sunbeds are needed so people understand the risks that could have deadly consequences. 

‘The evidence is clear: there is no safe level of sunbed use, yet too many young people are being exposed to a known carcinogen with little understanding of the risks. 

‘These proposals will crack down on rogue operators and ensure the law is properly enforced. Prevention saves lives, and we will do everything we can to protect people from avoidable cancers.’ 

Louise Dodds, who is living with melanoma said she had previously used sunbeds before her diagnosis. ‘If I’d known earlier how dangerous UV exposure and sunbeds were, I would never have taken the risk,’ she said. 

‘My melanoma was found completely by chance during a private consultation for something unrelated, a mole that had become dark and itchy was removed quickly, and within a week I was told it was stage 1B melanoma,’ Dodds explained. ‘Hearing the word ‘cancer’ sent me into shock. I was rushed back into the NHS system for more surgery and lymph node tests, all within weeks. The procedures and the waits for results were brutal.’

According to government data, in 2023 there were almost a quarter of a million new skin cancer diagnoses in the UK, at an estimated annual cost of £750m to the NHS. 

Despite these risks, public awareness remains worryingly low. Research by the charity Melanoma Focus found only 62% of adults know sunbed use increases cancer risk, while almost a quarter of 18- to 25-year-olds mistakenly believe sunbeds can reduce their risk of developing cancer. 

Professor Meghana Pandit, National Medical Director at NHS England, said: ‘A sunbed tan mightly only last a few weeks, but the damage can last a lifetime,’ Professor Meghana Pandit, National Medical Director at NHS England, said

‘Sunbeds blast your skin with high levels of UV radiation raising the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, particularly for young people. 

‘These proposals, as part of the National Cancer Plan, will help close dangerous loopholes, crack down on illegal sunbed use and keep people safe.’ 

Image: Shutterstock 

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