Fabutan slams report on cancer
Posted By TARINA WHITE, SUN MEDIA
Posted 6 months ago
The head of Calgary-based Fabutan is slamming an international report released yesterday that labels tanning beds as a definite cause of cancer alongside tobacco.
Although scientists have for years described tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as "probable carcinogens," international cancer experts have now moved tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, deeming both to be as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas.
Experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, concluded the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75% when people start using tanning beds before age 30.
Fabutan president Doug McNabb said comparing tanning beds to tobacco and mustard gas is "over the top."
"To me, that means the advice is that we should never, ever go outside and get unprotected sunlight and I think that's a very dangerous message -- it contributes to vitamin D deficiency," he said.
"The bottom line is we think there is an intelligent way to use moderation and UV light."
McNabb said it's unlikely the report condemning tanning beds will prompt his clients to abandon their quest for bronzed summer skin.
"We like to say there's such a thing as smart tanning -- maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks," he said.
"We make sure they avoid overexposure (and) we skin type every customer so we aware of how much exposure they should receive."
But the International Agency for Research on Cancer says most lights used in tanning beds give off mainly ultraviolet radiation, which cause skin and eye cancer.
