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Lauren Bidlock, the owner of Glitz Spray Tanning in Sherwood Park, says provincial rules banning the use of tanning beds by minors could draw teens to businesses like hers.
Businesses that violate new rules banning minors from using artificial tanning beds will face thousands of dollars in fines for each offence, says Alberta Health Services.
“There are penalties both for individuals and for corporations,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, acting deputy chief medical officer of health. “Our concern is that when young people are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it puts them at an unnecessary risk of skin cancer, so our position is that all minors under this will receive equal protection.”
Before Jan. 1 when the rules came into effect, youth could use artificial tanning facilities with parental consent.
“There are no exceptions under this new rule,” Hinshaw said, adding public health inspectors are responsible for enforcing the legislation.
Commercial tanning service operators will have to ask clients for identification to confirm their age. Individual workers could be fined up to $500 for providing UV tanning to a client under 18 years old and businesses face harsher penalties. The first offence could cost up to $2,000, the second up to $5,000 and the third and subsequent offences up to $10,000 each.
Hinshaw said suspected violations should be reported to Alberta Health Services, which will then investigate.
The Skin Cancer Prevention (Artificial Tanning) Act was introduced by the Progressive Conservatives in March 2015 and proclaimed by the NDP government in October.
The risk of melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer, rises by 59 per cent with the use of tanning beds before the age of 35. In 2014, there were 665 new cases of melanoma in Alberta and 64 deaths due to the disease, a government news release stated.
The new rules could spur teens to use spray tanning more, said Lauren Bidlock, owner of Glitz Spray Tanning in Sherwood Park, which offers only non-ultraviolet tanning.
“Every year we’ve grown more and more,” she said, noting her business launched in 2011.
Bidlock used to be an avid user of indoor tanning, going three to four times a week in her late teens.
“I was a younger person who wanted tanning beds,” said Bidlock, 27. “My mom would sign the consent for me.”
Now she wants to offer young people an alternative.
“Our grad season ... has gone up tremendously,” she said, noting her clients range in age from 14 to 70. It’s most popular in the 18-to30 age range, though, she added. She requires parental consent for clients under 16 to be spray tanned.
The new rules also require businesses to post health warnings and age restrictions and stipulate that unsupervised artificial tanning equipment is banned in public places. Businesses are also barred from advertising UV tanning to minors.
When young people are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it puts them at an unnecessary risk of skin cancer.