Is it time to legally ban sunbeds in Ireland?

In a new report, the Institute of Public Health (IPH) has recommended a ban on sunbeds to reduce the risk of skin cancer in Ireland, which has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world. 

The team at the IPH has found a concerning number of young women and even children, use sunbeds regularly in Ireland.

According to their new report, 5.2% of children aged 10-17 years reported ‘ever’ using a sunbed.

4.4% of children aged 10-17 years reported using a sunbed in the last 12 months  

The team also found that the majority of sunbed users aged 15+ were female.

The concerning figures have pushed the IPH to call for a ban on commercial sunbeds in Ireland.

Speaking about their findings, IPH Director of Policy, Dr Helen McAvoy, said:

“Our report provides evidence that sunbeds are still being used by children and young people despite existing regulations restricting their availability to anyone under the age of 18.

"Using sunbeds increases your risk for skin cancer; it is not safe to use a sunbed at any age. A ban on sunbeds has been shown to work. In Australia, it is estimated to have prevented tens of thousands of skin cancers and led to significant health cost savings.

"Introducing a similar ban on sunbeds in Ireland could help to stem skin cancer rates."

Skin cancer rates are projected to double over the next 20 years in Ireland.

Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor added:

“This report reinforces what we already know—there is no safe level of sunbed use."

"The evidence is clear: sunbeds are still being used by children and young people, despite legal restrictions. This is deeply concerning. We must do everything within our power to protect people from its harms in order to save lives."

What happens when you use a sunbed once?

Experts have confirmed that using a sunbed once can increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with over 11,000 cases of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed annually. The occurrence of high-risk skin types in Ireland places the population at greater skin cancer risk than most other countries.  

The risk of skin cancer can be reduced by limiting our exposure to UV radiation from the sun and from sunbeds.

UV emitted from sunbeds is recognised as a carcinogen by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Commission.  

People who use sunbeds for the first time before 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.