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	A ban on under-18s using sunbeds in Ireland is in place from today.</p>
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	Under the Public Health (Sunbeds) Act, it is now an offence for a sunbed business to sell or hire a sunbed to anyone aged under 18, or to allow a young person to use a sunbed.</p>
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	Last week, Health Minister Leo Varadkar described the move as &ldquo;an essential step to protect children&rsquo;s health and wellbeing&rdquo;.</p>
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	He said it was an &quot;important preventive measure&quot; against skin cancer when he announced the ban.</p>
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	Skin cancer is the fast growing cancer in Ireland, with more than 850 new cases of melanoma a year and 150 deaths.</p>
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	The Department of Health will clamp down further on sunbed use by placing a ban on unsupervised use, some marketing techniques and health claims.</p>
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	Mr Varadkar advised people: &ldquo;To be pale is to be beautiful. Don&rsquo;t feel you have to get a tan.&rdquo;</p>
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	The ban on sunbed use for under-18s follows years of lobbying by the Irish Cancer Society, which says those who have used a sunbed increase the risk of melanoma by 15pc.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/ban-on-under18s-using-sunbeds-in-ireland-is-in-place-from-today-30446645.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/ban-on-under18s-using-sunbeds-in-ireland-is-in-place-from-today-30446645.html</a></p>
