Tanning is as Dangerous as Smoking! by Will Phillips September 2009 You probably recall that for close to fifty years now, the tobacco hid the deadly impact of smoking on cancer and death rates, and are suffering now for it. If you support tanning beds in your club, how are you are reducing your member's life spans with tanning as much as you're enhancing them with tanning? July 29, 2009 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) raised the classification of ultraviolet-emitting tanning devices from "probably carcinogenic to humans" to "carcinogenic to humans"—the highest risk category—based on evidence of a substantially higher risk of cutaneous melanoma in those who regularly used sun beds. In addition, the risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent in people who begin using tanning beds before the age of 30. Ironically, IHRSA has also been a strong supporter of tanning beds as evidenced by a recent 2009 issue from their Chem-Bio Informatics Society (CBI) which featured tanning and tanning bed vendors. Of course there is also evidence in the many studies that show that the risk of melanoma increases by using sunscreen (Diffey, 2005, British Journal of Dermatology.) Action If you have tanning beds, carefully read all the references cited above and make sure you are up to date on the re classification of tanning with smoking as a carcinogen. Consult with a produce liability attorney for their view. If you keep tanning beds, you may want to be sure every user is up to date on the re-classification and signs a waiver. Better yet, focus on health not profit, don't sell tanning unless it is safe spray on. Read the New York Times article for more on this. Read More International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) The IARC research was published on The Lancet Oncology website. Read the New York Times article from August 2009.