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The Green Party is calling on the Government to regulate the sunbed industry following research suggesting they double cancer risk for younger users.
The Greens last year waged a campaign to regulate the tanning industry due to skin cancer risk, but Health Minister Pete Hodgson has said there are no plans to regulate.
In November, a Green Party survey of sunbed operations in the Wellington region found that most were flouting industry standards.
Green MP Sue Kedgley yesterday said a Queensland Institute of Medical Research report, which analysed 21 previous studies, found people who used sunbeds for the first time under the age of 35 doubled their risk of getting melanoma. The risk for under 35-year-olds was 98 per cent higher.
Ms Kedgley said the report provided compelling evidence for tighter controls, including a ban on under 18-year-olds using sunbeds.
"The sunbed industry is experiencing rapid growth in New Zealand. A significant proportion of users are adolescent and female and are oblivious to the risks they are exposing themselves to.
"Voluntary standards which prohibit people under 18 and people with fair skin from using sunbeds must be legally enforced."
Ms Kedgley said over a thousand New Zealanders were diagnosed with melanoma each year and hundreds died from it.
In August the New Zealand Cancer Council said it wanted the Government to follow Australian moves to replace voluntary rules on salon sunbed use with laws to restrict access by teenagers.
Australian regulators intend to put the limit at 16 with 17- to 18-year-olds requiring parental permission.
France has banned sunbed salons for under 18-year-olds and several European countries have limits on the amount of exposure for all ages.
- NZPA
