Tanning salons could face tighter controls on sunbed use

It follows widespread support for a Private Members' Bill, put forward by East Renfrewshire Labour MSP Ken Macintosh, calling for licensing.

More than half of those who responded said there should be a targeted health campaign on the risks of using sunbeds.

Mr Macintosh said action is needed now to raise awareness of tanning dangers.

The Regulation of Sunbed Parlours Bill was put out for consultation in May.

It would force tanning salons to operate within a regulatory framework, including a ban on unstaffed premises and on children using sunbeds.

Skin cancer 'epidemic'

Many backing the bill said they hoped it would help dispel the myth that sunbeds are safer than natural sunlight.

Research suggests sunbeds are responsible for an estimated 100 deaths in the UK each year.

Higher rates of melanoma have been reported in Scotland that the rest of the country.

There were more than 7,000 cases of skin cancer in 2001, compared with 2,200 in 1975.

Mr Macintosh said: "We are in the middle of a skin cancer epidemic here in Scotland."

Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's head of health information, said: "A licensing scheme would aim to prevent children and teenagers from using sunbeds and to phase out all coin-operated, unmanned sunbeds."