The Sunshine State has officially banned fake sun for the sake of broads not forking out hundreds to look awful, as well as the legitimately frightening prospect of contracting skin cancer and melanomas.
While we reported last year on Queensland’s infatuation with concentrated UV (death)rays, and their impending ban, the 2012 announcement only banned new solariums for setting up shop – the announcement by Queensland health minister Lawrence Springborg on Sunday will officially phase out sun beds by 31 December 2014, according to The Guardian.
The Cancer Council has been a strong supporter of banning solariums, citing research that puts those using tanning beds under 35 at a 59% increased risk of contracting skin cancer. Seriously guys – lithe, supple-skinned youth of QLD, time to quit literally burning your bodies. Let a lethal midday sun + no sunscreen combo work its own natural course.
The Cancer Council QLD Chief Executive Jeff Dunn sent off solariums without any regret, saying that with tanning beds, “There’s a cost to the community, there’s a cost to families, there’s a cost to individuals and the state does have a role.” Queensland’s 44 solarium operators will be compensated $1000 for each of their tanning beds to ease the blow of the ban.
Queensland will be following in the intelligent footsteps (who’s the “smart state” now?) of almost every other Australian state and territory, who have already implemented either full bans or regulated use of tanning beds. The case for banning solariums was partly spurred by the high profile case of Clare Oliver, who campaigned against solariums up until her death of an aggressive skin cancer allegedly brought on by tanning beds in 2007.
For anybody out there devastated by the impending doom of a life without cheerful beds of assisted suicide to pass their time in, make like Ross Geller and get a fake tan, who knows – if everything goes well and you reach your desired shade of charred, you may end up here.
Via The Guardian.
