Dark side of the sun

A HARD-HITTING new ad campaign warning young people on the dangers of tanning under the scorching summer sun began screening last weekend.
SunSmart’s Dark Side of Tanning TV ads, which were launched by Health Minister Daniel Andrews, coincide with the Cancer Council’s National Skin Cancer Action Week.
Despite skin cancer being largely preventable, Australia has some of the highest rates of melanoma in the world.
In Victoria, around 265 people die from melanoma each year.
Victorians under the age of 18 were banned from using solariums in February this year.
Mr Andrews said since new laws requiring all solaria to be licensed and to display mandatory warnings were introduced in 2007, there had been a 45 per cent reduction in the number of sites with tanning units.