The Scottish Parliament is considering an implemention of strictregulations for tanning salons and tanning bed use that could include children being banned from the salons.Scotland has a skin cancer epidemic and doctors are concerned that the number of skin cancer diagnosis will continue torise if nothing is done. The British Medical Association in Scotland has publicly backed the proposed bill that wouldallow inspection of tanning salons, eliminate the use of coin-operated machines, ban young people, post visible healthwarnings and require monitoring of adult use. According to statisticians, the incidence of skin cancer in Scotland,which has more tanning salons in relation to population than any other country in the UK, has more than tripled in thepast 30 years, up from 2200 in 1975 to more than 7000 in 2001. The most lethal form, malignant melanoma, is the UK’ssecond most common cancer in the 20 toಧ-year-old age group. Those in government who wish to see a regulation enactedgiving officials greater control over tanning salons state that voluntary regulation has been ineffective.
