Public misperception of new regulations supports a call for a nationwide solarium ban

To the Editor: Exposure to ultraviolet radiation in solariums is associated with higher risk of melanoma and squamous cell carcinomas, especially when exposure occurs at a young age.1 Despite increasing numbers of solariums and tanning promotion offers,2 solarium usage was previously controlled only by a voluntary industry standard (2002). This standard permitted 16–17-year-olds to use solariums with parental permission, barring only younger adolescents and children.3 Precipitated by Clare Oliver’s anti-solarium campaign before her death from melanoma,2 the voluntary standard was revised in 2008 to bar all individuals aged under 18 years from using solariums.4 Subsequently, Australian state and territory governments (except the Northern Territory) implemented regulations to further curb the use of solariums by people aged under 18 years by 2010,2,5 and to bar adults with highly sensitive skin by 2011. The NT continued to use the industry standard.

We conducted a national cross-sectional telephone survey in summer 2010–2011. Recruitment of respondents in households with a landline telephone was by random selection from Australian Communications and Media Authority lists of active telephone numbers. A representative sample of Australians aged 12–69 years, with quotas by sex, age and area of residence, were interviewed about their awareness and perceptions of the new regulations. The response rate (calculated to account for in-scope households according to American Association for Public Opinion Research recommendations) was 63% (6779/10 744). Just over half the adults nationally were aware of the regulations (Box), varying by jurisdiction from 7% (4/57) in the NT and 36% (43/120) in Tasmania to 64% (869/1352) in Victoria. Nationally, 31% of adults believed that solariums were safer to use under the new regulations, varying between 22% and 36% across jurisdictions. Only 18% of adolescents nationally were aware of solarium regulations, and 39% believed that solariums were now safer to use. No state-based data are presented for adolescents due to insufficient numbers by jurisdiction.

Under the new regulations, someone of Clare Oliver’s age and skin type would still be able to use solariums, highlighting that people remain at risk. The sizeable proportion of people under the false impression that solariums are safer after regulations were introduced, along with the solarium industry’s failure to comply with age and skin type restrictions,3 is concerning. In 2012, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria recognised this risk and announced outright bans on solariums from December 2014. Other states and territories have yet to commit to a ban — we recommend they follow suit.