A NEWLY FORMED coalition of cancer charities, medical organisations and advocacy groups has called on the government to introduce a total ban on sunbeds, warning they are contributing to rising melanoma rates in Ireland.

The newly launched Coalition Against Sunbeds says sunbeds are directly linked to melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.

Sunbeds provide a cosmetic tan to the skin by emitting different types of ultraviolet radiation to stimulate melanin in the skin to produce a tanned appearance. The World Health Organisation has previously classified the assets as carcinogenic.

There are currently restrictions in place for the use of sunbeds for those under the age of 18 in the EU.

Campaigners cited EU research showing 5.4% of melanomas are attributed to sunbed use, while use before the age of 35 significantly increases the risk of melanoma.

According to the coalition, 1,463 people were diagnosed with melanoma in Ireland in 2022, with an estimated 79 of those cases linked to sunbed use.

The group said treatment costs for melanoma cases caused by sunbeds could range from €337,251 to €9.7 million annually, depending on the stage of diagnosis.

Anne-Marie Tobin, consultant dermatologist at Tallaght University Hospital, said the evidence linking sunbeds and cancer is “clear”.

“The WHO categorises sunbeds as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning their cancer risk is in the same category as tobacco and asbestos exposure,” she said.

Tobin said the coalition was urging the government to outline a timeline for a blanket ban covering both commercial and residential sunbeds.

The coalition said around 120,000 people in Ireland currently use sunbeds and warned melanoma diagnoses are projected to double by 2045.

It also raised concerns about underage use, with one in 20 children aged between 10 and 17 reported to have used sunbeds despite legislation prohibiting their use by minors.

Gill Costelloe, a patient advocate with Melanoma Support Ireland, said she developed stage four melanoma after using sunbeds when she was younger.

“My melanoma was caught early when I had a mole surgically removed but, five years later, it came back without any warning and spread right through my body,” she said. “I’m doing a lot better 4 years on, but I will now be on cancer treatment for the rest of my life.”

Costelloe urged Ireland to follow countries such as Australia in banning commercial sunbeds.

Members of the coalition include the Irish Cancer Society, Marie Keating Foundation, Irish College of GPs, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and Breakthrough Cancer Research.

Last year, the Institute of Public Health has recommended a ban on sunbeds in Ireland to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Despite existing regulations, the institute highlighted concerns around their use by children in Ireland. It also cited significant public health risks associated with ultraviolet radiation, which cause cancer.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has previously expressed support for a potential ban on commercial sunbeds, which is included in the programme for government, telling The Journal that outlawing them was a “no-brainer”.