Lessons to be learnt from Australia’s sunbed ban

The HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and the Institute of Public Health (IPH) are holding an event for health and social care professionals to discuss sunbed use in Ireland, and the lessons learnt from Australia’s sunbed ban. This will inform future policy options on how to reduce skin cancer risk in Ireland.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland with over 11,000 cases diagnosed annually. This includes melanoma skin cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer. The number of people being diagnosed with skin cancer in Ireland is rising rapidly. Yet skin cancer is largely preventable by protecting skin from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and not using sunbeds.

It is never safe to use a sunbed. Exposure of skin to UV radiation from the sun or sunbeds damages skin cells, accelerates visible signs of ageing and increases the risk of developing skin cancer. The risk is associated with use in childhood and adolescence, and with frequent use. All sunbed users are at risk. There is no safe limit of exposure to UV radiation from sunbeds.

Dr Breeda Neville, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, HSE’s NCCP, warns: “Skin cancer is a significant public health problem in Ireland. The majority of skin cancers are caused by UV exposure, which means that skin cancer is largely preventable by protecting your skin from the sun’s UV rays and by not using sunbeds.”

Speaking at the event, Craig Sinclair, Head, Prevention Division, Director, World Health Organization Collaborative Centre for UV Radiation at Cancer Council Victoria, says: “There is a precedent for the successful banning of sunbeds. Australia introduced an outright ban on commercial sunbeds in 2016. The measure has enjoyed strong public support and has undoubtedly prevented thousands of skin cancers and delivered an estimated saving of over AU$64 million to the Australian Health system”.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the use of UV-emitting tanning devices, such as sunbeds, as carcinogenic to humans. The European Commission Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) has stated that there is no safe limit for exposure to UV radiation from sunbeds. People who use sunbeds for the first time before the age of 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma skin cancer by 75%.

Dr Helen McAvoy, Director of Policy at the Institute of Public Health, says: “We have recently undertaken a comprehensive assessment of sunbed use in Ireland. The findings will inform the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan and provide policy options to reduce skin cancer risk. The Institute of Public Health looks forward to publishing our report in the coming weeks.”

The Public Health (Sunbeds) Act 2014 is enforced by the HSE National Environmental Health Service (NEHS). Selling or hiring a sunbed to anyone under the age of 18 years is prohibited by law in Ireland, certain marketing practices and health claims are not allowed, and warning notices are required.

A mandate to explore a ban on sunbeds has been provided in Ireland’s Programme for Government 2025.

Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, states: “Action to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer is a priority of Government. This is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment to explore ways to ban commercial sunbed use. I’m pleased to say that I have established a cross-departmental Working Group to consider how to achieve this aim.” 

The event supports the Department of Health and HSE’s NCCP’s National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan (2023-2026) to further raise awareness of the risk of sunbed use through education and communication channels.

Find out more about reducing your risk of skin cancer