Rob Stokes med rel: SOLARIUM BAN TO COME INTO EFFECT

Environment Minister Rob Stokes today reminded the community of the ban on commercial solarium UV tanning units coming into effect at the end of the year.

“From 2015, it will be illegal to offer UV tanning services for a fee in NSW, and anyone caught doing so risks fines of up to $44,000,” Mr Stokes said.

“We know that Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world and that at least 10 people die from melanoma caused by UV tanning bed use in NSW each year.

“This ban will protect the community from one of the causes of skin cancer as well as the pain and suffering of victims, friends and family.”

Long-time solarium ban campaigner and Melanoma Institute Australia coordinator Jay Allen said the ban on tanning beds in NSW could not come soon enough.

“These dangerous machines have caused the deaths of many friends of mine and almost took my own life. Every 6 months I have scans and blood tests, to make sure my stage 3 melanoma does not return. It’s a terrifying time,” Mr Allen said.

“I applaud the NSW Government. It’s a significant step forward to save our future generations from developing melanoma.”

Cancer Council NSW CEO Jim L’Estrange, said skin cancer remains a major public issue in Australia, and this ban would remove a significant risk factor for this disease. Newly released research from the Cancer Council has found 76 per cent of adults in NSW support the ban.

“We highly commend the NSW Government for taking this important step forward to ban commercial solariums which has acted as catalyst for similar bans across Australia,” Mr L’Estrange said.

Since the NSW Government announced it would ban tanning units, other states followed suit with similar bans in effect in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Western Australia is set to ban the machines from the end of 2015.