Sunbeds are as likely to cause cancer as smoking, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), so much so that the WHO has now classified using sunbeds in the same cancer causing level as cigarette smoking and asbestos.

After a study into using sunbeds for tanning, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) warned the World Health Organisation that sunbeds pose a huge threat of cancer to all, espcially the young.

In the report, published in The Lancet Oncology, the head researcher behind the study, Dr Fatiha El Ghissassi, warned that the risk of developing cancer is increased by 75 percent when tanning devices and ultra-violet lamps are used by people under the age of 30.

This, and other studies into the use of sunbeds and tanning salons, has prompted the World Health Organisation to revise the idea that sunbeds and sunlamps as 'probably carcionogenic'  to 'carcionogenic to humans', the highest possible classification when dealing with discussions on cancer and the causes of cancer.

Of cause this new report has been disputed by the CEO of the Sunbed Association, who suggest that sunbeds and using sunlamps doesn't directly cause cancer.