Should sunbeds be banned?

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Sunbeds are just as bad for you as cigarettes, according to new research from the World Health Organisation.

Using tanning beds has long been linked to high cancer risks, but it’s now been revealed by international scientists that regular sessions on tanning beds can increase the cancer risk for those under 30 by 75%, and will also raise your risk of eye cancers such as ocular melanoma.

The organisation has upgraded the risk level for using tanning beds to the same level as cigarettes and asbestos, and pressure groups are now calling for the government to ban coin-operated tanning salons and regulate the industry, to protect people from the effects of sunbeds. However, the Sunbed Association has spoken out against the research, saying that there is no proven link between tanning beds and skin cancer.

What do you think? Should the government go a step further and ban tanning beds altogether? Are you a regular sunbed user? Do you worry about your cancer risk when using them?

Have your say by commenting and voting in our poll below...

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Photo courtesy of Evil Erin via Flickr. Some rights reserved