The Joint Canadian Tanning Association Tuesday slammed the Canadian Cancer Society for releasing a poorly crafted study of indoor tanning operations — a study that claimed most tanning salons were not checking ages of tanning clients, but which did not actually involve real tanning clients.

“The reality is that not one of the people employed by a youth marketing agency on behalf of the cancer society, actually stayed for a tanning session. If they had, they would have been asked to complete a client card which asks a person’s age and skin type. They would have received professional direction and guidance from the salon,” JCTA Executive Director Steve Gilroy said in a press release posted on JCTA’s web site Tuesday evening and released to the Canadian press Wednesday morning.

CCS’s study made headlines across Canada on Tuesday — the latest in a series of slams as anti-tanning forces push for an under-18 ban on indoor tanning in Ontario. Other provinces may consider the measure as well.

JCTA, with support from Smart Tan-Canada, has pointed out substantively why an under-18 ban would only make teenage sunburn more common in Canada, and why there is no data to support such an action.

“Cooler heads need to prevail on this issue worldwide,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “We are seeing a lot of emotional appeals from the anti-sun lobby – efforts that are not consistent with prudent, dispassionate analysis of the issue. Every time we’ve been able to dispassionately explain our positions on this issue we’ve made our points.”

Here is JCTA’s press release in its entirety, as posted on its web site, www.TanCanada.org:

Ontario’s tanning professionals act responsibly

KELOWNA, British Columbia (Oct. 7) — Members of the Joint Canadian Tanning Association (JCTA) are saddened by the callous hit and run tactics used today by the Ontario branch of the Canadian Cancer Society to damage the tanning industry’s ongoing efforts to educate the public about tanning.

The JCTA strongly disputes the credibility of damaging allegations that consumers are not being asked their ages or informed about health safety guidelines before they can tan at a professional tanning salon.

“The reality is that not one of the people employed by a youth marketing agency on behalf of the cancer society, actually stayed for a tanning session. If they had, they would have been asked to complete a client card which asks a person’s age and skin type. They would have received professional direction and guidance from the salon,” said JCTA Executive Director Steve Gilroy.

“Canada’s indoor tanning industry welcomes every opportunity to discuss any concerns about its business practices. However, it’s extremely regrettable that after 12 years of trying to meet with the Canadian Cancer Society, it has ignored every attempt to openly discuss the issue with the industry. The covert actions taken to call for legislative controls on a responsible industry is regrettable,” Gilroy added.

Indoor tanning facilities are at the forefront in teaching teenagers outdoor sunburn prevention, including the proper use of sunscreens to prevent sunburn outdoors. Research shows the potential risks from tanning are from overexposure or sunburning, not moderate tanning.

More than 80 per cent of tanning facilities in Ontario have formally trained operators on duty. Insurance carriers require their covered businesses to complete formal training. Part of this training includes teaching outdoor sunburn prevention to teenagers and their parents. If this ban is enacted, teenagers will be denied access to this service and sunburn incidence will increase.

There is no data to suggest that tanning is more dangerous for any specific age group. Photobiology and epidemiology — if analyzed correctly — all suggest that burning (not tanning) at an early age could increase risk later in life.

Because the JCTA favours constructive solutions that are in the best interest of public health, the professional indoor tanning community supports the parental consent for anyone under 16 who wish to tan in salons. We support constructive efforts to bolster enforcement of this standard.