The Look to Die For campaign is launched today
We all know how bad sunbeds are for our skin, yet they're still being used. But hopefully not for much longer.
Liverpool City Council is leading the way by calling on the Government to give every local authority in England the power to license and regulate sunbed businesses.
This will help halt the worrying rise of skin cancer, the fastest growing cancer amongst 18 – 35 year olds in the UK.
Launched today, ‘The Look To Die For’ campaign is proposing all premises offering the use of sunbeds will have to provide clear and correct information about the serious health dangers associated with their use, by law.
Licensing would ensure that a number of minimum health, safety and good practice guidelines are met in all facilities offering the use of sunbeds.
The initiative, supported by Cancer Research UK and the Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, is also aiming to reduce the number of teenage girls in the city using sunbeds.
As findings from a Cancer Research UK study in 2009, have shown that half of girls aged 15 – 17 years old in Liverpool had used a sunbed, far above the national average of 11%.
Despite the fact that using a sunbed just once a month or more will double the chance of developing malignant melanoma - the most serious form of skin cancer - two in five sunbed users aged 11 – 17 in the city, said they are using them at least once a week to perfect the ‘Liverpool Look’.
England currently trails local authorities in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who already have the power to ensure that businesses educate users about the risks of sunbed use. In England, only Nottinghamshire and London are able to license sunbed businesses to ensure that they take steps to protect the health of their customers, but cities like Liverpool are unable to do this.
Councillor Roy Gladden, Assistant Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care and Cancer Champion for Liverpool City Council said: “Liverpool has a significant problem with sunbed use compared to many other parts of the country. With ‘The Look To Die For’ we are putting forward a strong case to the Secretary of State to grant local authorities the powers they need to protect their constituents.
“The link to skin cancer from sunbeds is well documented and we just want to ensure that everyone in England, no matter where you live, has the right to know the risks of using sunbeds so that they can make an informed choice about using them. To support our lobbying campaign, sign our petition at www.thelooktodiefor.co.uk/petition .”
Local research undertaken in 2012 found that sunbed outlets in the city aren’t enforcing the legislation that was introduced in 2010 that restricts the use of sunbeds to over 18s.
So, Liverpool City Council want to ensure that every sunbed business:
1. Is supervised by a properly trained member of staff
2. Displays and provides sunbed users with detailed information about how to use a sunbed and the associated health risks
3. Does not display or provide misleading information
4. Provides protective eyewear for users
5. Follows health and safety rules
Paula Grey, Director of Public Health at Liverpool City Council commented: “The local campaign acknowledges that teenage girls in the city like to look tanned and focuses on educating them about the risk of using sunbeds, whilst also improving their confidence and skills in using fake tan. The campaign is being supported by fake tan brand St Moriz who are sharing their expertise to show girls in the city how they can get the ‘look’ without the health risk.”
Sara Osborne, head of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Research clearly shows that using sunbeds before the age of 35 increases the risk of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, by almost 60 per cent. Adults need to know about these risks before they decide to use sunbeds. That’s why the Government must ensure that all sunbed businesses provide clear and accurate health information to the public and require all local authorities to properly license their activities.”
A series of events are taking place in Liverpool City Centre in August and September to educate young Liverpudlian girls about the dangers of sunbed use. The events will feature fake tan demonstrations and one-to-one consultations with tanning experts with the aim to get teenage girls to ‘bin the beds’ and start using fake tan instead. A Youtube channel containing fake tan lessons and a facebook page where girls can join in with the campaign will also be launched. From October the campaign will be rolled out into schools and colleges across Liverpool.
Tagged in Health Skin Cancer skincare Sun Protection