B.C. to ban young people from tanning beds

VANCOUVER - The Province today announced that it will ban commercial tanning bed use by young people under the age of 18 to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer later in life.

"Unfortunately, cancer affects thousands of British Columbian families with one in three people expected to develop some form of cancer - such as skin cancer like melanoma - in their lifetime," said Health Minister Michael de Jong. "After a great deal of consideration of clinical evidence, commissioning a report to provide options and listening to what local governments had to say at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention last year, government has decided to restrict access to tanning beds for young people under the age of 18."

Studies have shown that indoor tanning before the age of 35 raises the risk of melanoma by 75 per cent. Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. In Canada, the ...