Laws to control Scots fervour for sunbeds

The obsession in rain-soaked Scotland for using artificial tanning devices is to be curbed by new legislation because of growing health fears.

The move to license hundreds of sunbed parlours follows an official report by the Health Education Board for Scotland linking ultraviolet radiation with skin cancer and its recommendation that there is "no safe level" for using artificial sunbeds.

Despite claims that sunbed users are twice as likely to develop skin cancer as non-users, the number of salons has continued to rise across the country. Glasgow, where the council has removed sunbeds from all public premises, already has at least 72 private tanning studios – just 21 fewer than London.

The Scottish Parliament's cross-party cancer group wants to introduce legislation that will give local councils absolute power to insist salons adhere to strict operational guidelines under licence.

"There is no disagreement over the health risks," said Ken McIntosh, convener of the cancer group. "It is only a question of what is a reasonable and acceptable risk. We think people can make informed choices but they need the information."

East Renfrewshire Council voted yesterday to introduce regulations forcing all tanning parlours to apply for public entertainment licences with conditions that customers are given pre-tanning advice.Regular safety checks on equipment will also have to be carried out.