Article content

The federal government is adding its weight to a growing official campaign against indoor tanning, proposing new rules that would force the salons to post warnings that “tanning equipment can cause cancer.”

The cigarette-package-type notices on the beds would also have to say they are not recommended for customers under 18, as many other jurisdictions actually ban teenagers from using them.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'Can cause cancer': Ottawa proposes cigarette-package-type notices for tanning beds Back to video

Indoor tanning at about 3,000 salons is a $1-billion industry in Canada and “increasingly common,” but current labeling does not reflect recent scientific data on the cancer link, Health Canada says in a notice explaining the suggested new regulations.

“Indoor ultraviolet tanning is associated with an increased risk of developing skin cancer, and is a risk factor for early-onset skin cancer,” it says. “Recent studies have increasingly demonstrated a dose-response effect; that is, more tanning equipment exposures lead to increased risk of developing skin cancer.”