Too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or sunbeds can damage DNA in your skin cells and cause skin cancer.
In the UK, up to 9 in 10 cases of melanoma skin cancer could be prevented by staying safe in the sun and avoiding sunbeds. Experts believed that, as well as excessive exposure to the sun, sunbed use was creating a rise in skin cancer, particularly among young people.
At the time of the campaign, the evidence showed that:
Using a sunbed before the age of 35 increased the risk of cancer by 59% compared with never use.
The most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma, was one of the most common cancers in people aged from 15 to 24 years old.
To protect children from the increased risk of skin cancer through the use of sunbeds, we called for a change to regulations across the UK.
In 2010, more than 1,300 campaigners emailed their MPs. The campaign also received public support from MPs, Baroness Finlay, and ‘Girls Aloud’ Star Nicola Roberts.
The Sunbeds Regulation Bill was passed by the UK Parliament in 2010 preventing under 18s from using sunbeds in England and Wales. Scotland already had this legislation in place.
The Sunbeds Act came into action in England and Wales from April 2011. The Welsh Assembly went further and passed legislation requiring all salons to be supervised, provide protective eyewear and display prescribed health information. The hire or sale of sunbeds to under 18s was also banned in Wales.
The Sunbeds Act passed in Northern Ireland a month later in May 2011 with the same regulations as Wales. They also required salons to ensure that all staff are properly trained.
Ads work – that’s why companies spend so much money on them. Our Junk Free campaign called for restrictions on junk food adverts aimed at children on TV and online.
Before plain, standard cigarette packs were introduced, we successfully campaigned to cover up tobacco displays in shops and remove tobacco vending machines.
New analysis shows that melanoma skin cancer rates in the UK have increased by almost a third over the past decade.
The link between UV radiation and skin cancer was discovered in stages. First, UV radiation was linked to particular types of DNA damage.
Find out more about some common sun safety myths and learn how to stay sun safe when the sun is strong.
Learn about the ways our campaigner community is driving political action to help beat cancer.
Join our community of over 50,000 online campaigners across the UK.
Take part in our community of over 200 volunteer Campaign Ambassadors helping to influence governments across the UK to take action on cancer and driving improvements for cancer in their local communities.
