Tanning industry says ban on solariums will destroy livelihoods and trigger tanning 'black market'

Updated

The ban on solariums in Queensland will devastate livelihoods and lead to a solarium black market for die-hard tanners, business owners say.

All commercial solariums will be forced to close by December 31 next year under new state legislation, inspired by the death of Melbourne woman Claire Oliver six years ago, who claimed her melanoma was caused by sun beds.

Queensland Health is in negotiations to offer licensed solarium operators compensation for the legislation, but solarium owners say the figure falls short of the financial losses they will suffer by the illegalisation of the industry.

Under the buy-back scheme, solarium operators will be compensated $5,000 per sun bed surrendered for collection before April 14 next year.

From that date compensation will gradually decrease to $1,000 per sun bed until December 31, 2014, after which no remuneration will be provided by the Government.

The Cancer Council's Katie Clift hopes the Government's proposed buy-back package could encourage solarium owners to surrender the sun beds early.

"We think it's a great incentive to get rid of the sun beds sooner," she said.

"It's a very important health issue and one that we stand by the Government in making."

The Cancer Council has long advocated for solariums to be banned, saying people who use tanning beds before the age of 35 double their risk of developing melanoma.

Government solarium buy-back scheme 'a joke'

But Chevron Island Tan owner John Nixon, whose Gold Coast solarium and spray tanning business operates a number of sun beds worth $25,000-45,000 each, says the compensation plan is not good enough.

By diversify, what do they mean – close down and become a kebab shop? John Nixon, owner of Chevron Island Tan

"[The Government] is proposing incentives to get people to close earlier, but they're a joke," he said.

"To say that we will be given between $1,000-5,000 for the machine ... well it's not just a machine, it's a livelihood.

"It's an income and it's a business that has been developed for 12 years, and it feels like more of a kick in the head.

"But I have faith in the Queensland Government that they will eventually see common sense and offer a fairer compensation package."

He says the looming financial impacts of the commercial solarium ban has caused him a "huge" amount of stress since the Government last year announced it would grant no more solarium licenses.

"To be honest, I've been depressed. I've actually suffered anxiety from it," he said.

"I've been asked - what are you going to do? I had a separation with my partner of 12 years and he took the property, while I took the business.

"And now the business may or may not survive this ban. My business may have to close down."

Mr Nixon says he is also frustrated that solarium operators in Queensland were given less time to prepare for the ban than other states.

"Other states have had a long time to plan this. Other states were told a year ago that their ban comes into place next year," he said.

[The Government] is proposing incentives to get people to close earlier, but they're a joke. John Nixon, owner of Chevron Island Tan

However a spokesman for the Health Minister says the Government has provided ample time to enable businesses to prepare for the legislation.

"The ban was first made on repairing beds last year, and this year no new beds could be bought for commercial use," spokesman Cameron Thomson said.

"We've warned them that they need to find alternatives in their business.

"We've been in consultation with businesses and have tried to give them as much notice as possible."

But Mr Nixon says the Government's advice to diversify his tanning business is impractical.

"By diversify, what do they mean – close down and become a kebab shop?" he said.

"We are a tanning studio. So when the Government tells us to diversify, well what they're basically saying is close the business an open up something else."

Solarium users to buy their own beds to sidestep commercial ban

Under the legislation solariums are only banned for commercial use, meaning individuals will be able to purchase their own sun beds online.

At the time of publication there were 23 solariums for sale priced between $400 and $5,000 on Gumtree Australia alone, with sun beds also for sale on eBay.

Gold Coast law student Chanel Vasilj says she will buy her own sun bed when the commercial ban comes into effect next year.

"I think the issue here is trying to maintain a balance between individual rights to bodily autonomy and collective concern with public health," she said.

"People who are interested in tanning are not just going to stop going out into the sun.

"The only difference will be the investment of three hours of your time in the actual sun, instead of 10 minutes [in the solarium]."

She says she will have no hesitation in letting her friends use it.

"Obviously I can't accept money for that because that would come within the scope for the legislation."

Concern over lack of regulation in private solarium use

But while Ms Vasilj says her solarium use is moderate, Mr Nixon is concerned over the lack of regulation for private solariums in the case of "hardcore tanners".

"It defeats the purpose of what the Government wants to do - the hardcore tanners, the people who want to abuse it, they will go out and buy one," Mr Nixon said.

"At the moment those people are forbidden to come into my shop more than once every 48 hours.

"If they've got it in their home, they can go in [for long periods of time, like] 20 minutes. And they can go in every day."

Mr Nixon says a tanning black market is "not an if, but a given, that's going to happen".

Ms Clift says the Cancer Council is discouraging individuals in buying their own sun beds in an effort to sidestep the legislation.

"We encourage especially young people to take heed of this ban, and not use solariums in their own personal circumstances for the health risk," she said.

"So we will encourage young people to heed the law and take note of this ban and not seek the use of sun beds in illegal ways."

The legislation brings Queensland in line with the rest of Australia, with Northern Territory the only state with no plans to ban commercial solariums.

Topics: health, health-policy, law-crime-and-justice, industry, qld, australia

First posted