Commercial tanning: Provincial and territorial warning label requirements

February 1, 2019

Learn how provincial and territorial governments can warn the public about the adverse health effects of artificial tanning

Inside this UVR policy pack

• UVR policy pack: background evidence
• Evidence-informed UVR policy actions
• Key statistics: Exposure to solar and artificial UVR in Canada
• Public perceptions of the issue of exposure to UVR and cancer
• Economic evidence to support UVR policy
• Indicators to measure progress on UVR policy

Warning label requirements for commercial tanning units

Issue

Restrict or ban use of commercial tanning units¹

Action

Adopt warning label requirements for commercial tanning establishments¹

Degree of policy adoption*

HIGH

Current action(s) in Canada

The federal Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations require that warning labels that contain messaging about the adverse health effects of artificial tanning, including cancer risk, accompany all tanning equipment. Federal regulations govern the size, appearance and placement of the labels.

In addition to federal labelling requirements, all provinces (except British Columbia), and the Northwest Territories require labels to be posted in commercial tanning establishments that warn customers of the adverse health effects of tanning, including cancer risk.

There are some variances in the placement of warning signs in jurisdictions that require them. For instance, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and Northwest Territories require health warning signs to be displayed near the point of sale of services (usually within one metre of the cash register), Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and Northwest Territories require health warning signs to be displayed near tanning equipment (usually within one metre), and New Brunswick, Quebec and Saskatchewan require health warning signs to be placed at the entrance or in view of the entrance of the facility.

* Levels of adoption:  Low = very few jurisdictions have adopted evidence-informed policy action; Medium = some, but not all jurisdictions have adopted evidence-informed policy action; High = most jurisdictions have adopted evidence-informed policy action.

References

¹ Boniol M et al. (2012) Cutaneous melanoma attributable to sunbed use: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ, 345: e4757. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e4757.