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Teen girls risking lives for tan
Many of Sunderland's teenage girls are risking their lives through sunbed use, according to new figures.
Half of the city's 15- to 17-old girls are ignoring their health in pursuit of the perfect tan, making Wearside one of the country's worst offenders for sunbed use in young people, the study found.
A worrying 18 per cent of boys and girls in the city aged 11 to 17 are seeking a tan from sunbeds – compared with a national average of just six per cent.
Of those youngsters who go on sunbeds, more than two in five use them at least once a week.
Health experts are calling for a change in the law to prevent sunbed use in under-18s in a bid to prevent malignant melanoma, a life-threatening form of skin cancer.
Roy McLachlan, director of the North of England Cancer Network, said: "We are truly disappointed that the number of young women using sunbeds in Sunderland continues to be so high, after so many public warnings about their danger.
"It is vital that we press for legislation to bring an end to allowing children to use sunbeds when they are a recognised health risk."
The figures have been released by Cancer Research UK in a letter published today in the British Medical Journal.
Roker mum Nicola York knows all too well the dangers of sunbeds.
The 34-year-old says she would never let children Sam, six, and Daisy, three, near a sunbed when they are older, after she suffered a malignant mole on her leg two years ago.
"I think it's really worrying that children feel the need to use sunbeds. They need to realise that their own skin colour is the best look," she said.
Nicola, whose four-inch mole was successfully removed, said: "When I was younger I would use sunbeds now and again before holidays, but I would never, ever use them again."
The Cancer Research UK data showed that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds used sunbeds more than their better-off counterparts.
Children questioned as part of the report said there was peer pressure to get a tan and that sunbeds were an easy, quick and cheap way to do that.
When it came to visiting a tanning salon, only just over 11 per cent of children who used sunbeds were actually shown how they worked and warned of any potential harm.
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's director of health information, said: "Allowing children to be regularly exposed to harmful radiation from sunbeds is irresponsible.
"The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment report recommended that the Government take strong action to protect young people from the dangers of using sunbeds.
"This included stopping under-18s from using sunbeds, closing down unmanned, coin-operated salons and ensuring that local enforcement officers have powers to inspect salons and check that minimum standards are being met.
"Numerous other countries, including Scotland, have introduced legislation to protect children from sunbeds. We are calling on the Government to introduce legislation as a matter of urgency."
*MORE than 10,400 cases of malignant melanoma were recorded in the UK in 2006, with 10 per cent of cases being diagnosed in the under-35s and 30 per cent in the under-50s.
Rates of this form of skin cancer have quadrupled since the 1970s and are rising faster than any other cancer in the UK.
It causes more than 2,000 deaths a year.
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Weather for Sunderland
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
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