Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health has sent letters in support of Bill 74, Quebec’s Skin Cancer Prevention Act, to local MPPs, Premier Dalton McGuinty and the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Deb Matthews.
A 2007 study found that 60 per cent of tanning salons in Toronto did not ask young clients their age, nor prohibit them from tanning.
Bill 74, passed last month by the Quebec National Assembly will ban indoor tanning services to anyone under 18, and follows other provinces that have implemented similar legislation.
In Canada, Nova Scotia has banned tanning services to teens and British Columbia expects to do so this fall.
Brazil and New South Wales in Australia have banned the use of all tanning equipment unless for medical purposes; while California, all of Australia, and at least 12 countries in Europe, including Germany and most of the UK, have banned use of tanning facilities to youth under 18.
Dr. Mercer, Medical Officer of Health, said “Indoor tanning equipment greatly increases young people’s risk of developing the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma, by 75 percent when indoor tanning equipment use begins before the age of 30.”
The health unit is also encouraging community members and health professionals to support Bill 74 by going to www.take action.cancer.ca.
The site will send a message to an individual’s MPP as well as the Premier, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, and the MPP Health Critics via email or Facebook.
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