Teen tanning regulations proposed for Prince Edward County

By Jennifer Bowman

Educating teens about tanning is the driving force behind a proposed bylaw to regulate teen tanning in Prince Edward County.

In fact, Barb Proctor, a Picton councillor, says she’s not even trying to regulate teen tanning.

“It’s not a witchhunt on the tanning industry,” said Proctor. “It’s to provide information to our youth about the risks involved in tanning, especially at an early age.”

In 2006, more than 50,000 high school students in Ontario used indoor tanning equipment, according to a survey by the Canadian Cancer Society. There are currently 700,000 students in high school.

At the May 10 council meeting, Proctor and Councillor Heather Campbell provided council with the health risks of indoor tanning and requested staff to review the report on the possibility to enact a bylaw to regulate indoor tanning.

Proctor is asking for signs in tanning salons to educate teens on the risks of tanning, particularly melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. The World Health Organization says those who use indoor tanning facilities in their teens and twenties are at a higher risk of developing this cancer.

County staff will report by the end of June.

In the meantime, Proctor is meeting with a local tanning salon to see what kind of education is being offered. Proctor is concerned people are unaware of the dangers of tanning. Local tanning salons are concerned about being overlooked in the process of making bylaws.

“We just would like to be part of any group that is trying to put a bylaw together so that we have input into that decision,” said Paul Hawkins, owner of Added Touch Nail and Hair Boutique in Picton.

One of the concerns Proctor has about tanning salons is that they are not regulated. There is a Smart Tan certification that requires each employee to take yearly tests, but participation is up to the owners.

Hawkins is Smart Tan certified. So is Diana Kearns, owner of Mega Tan and Kearns & Co. in Belleville.

“We’re on board,” said Kearns. “It’s not that we’re against a regulation, but we want to be involved with it and have input.”

Recently she emailed the mayor of Quinte West to see if they had any plans to regulate teen tanning.

“Because if the Quinte West will have a proposed tanning ban, then so will the city of Belleville,” said Kearns.

That’s the kind of chain reaction Proctor is hoping for. Picton is a small pond in the tanning industry, with one tanning salon that voluntarily abides by Smart Tan certification.

“I’m hoping that it catches on in other municipalities,” said Proctor.

Hawkins agrees.

“We really think it should be a provincial guideline rather than by municipality,” said Hawkins.

The proposed bylaw follows a presentation on tanning beds the Canadian Cancer Society did for Prince Edward County council at the end of April. It also comes after a Private Members bill on the provincial level regarding teen tanning stalled.

Hawkins is working with spas across the country in the Joint Canadian Tanning Association to work with the government to endorse safe tanning practices.

“If there needs to be a sign going up saying, ‘Please be advised there may be an issue between skin cancer and tanning, then yeah, we can do that, but we want to be part of that discussion,” said Hawkins.

Proctor says she is very pleased with the meeting she had with Hawkins.

“I’m confident that we can work well together,” said Proctor.