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Ontario will consider banning the use of tanning beds by minors after a call by the Canadian Cancer Society, Health Minister David Caplan said yesterday.

The society renewed its call for the ban after releasing a study indicating that many tanning salons are not following Health Canada's voluntary safety guidelines, including those related to youths.

In a study of 79 salons in the Toronto area, the society found that six in 10 failed to ask the age of minors.

"I'm going to work with my colleagues in the Ministry of Health Promotion as well, and we'll see what can be done," Mr. Caplan said.

Liberal backbencher Khalil Ramal had put forth a private member's bill on the issue in June, seeking to keep youths under 19 from using tanning beds.

Melanoma skin cancer is the second-most-common cancer among people aged 15 to 34.

"Ultraviolet radiation emitted from artificial tanning equipment is a known carcinogen causing skin cancer," said cancer society spokeswoman Irene Gallagher.

"The exposure to UVR is cumulative, so those exposed at a young age are at greater risk of developing skin cancer, both now and later in life."

Ms. Gallagher said the cancer society supports the private member's bill but has called for additional measures including marketing restrictions, mandatory training for staff who operate the beds, and a registry of the locations of Ontario salons.