People need to be better informed of the risks they take when they use tanning beds, says a P.E.I. doctor.

'This is supposed to be something that makes you look good. Melanoma does not look good.'— Dr. Jerry O'Hanley

Dr. Jerry O'Hanley proposed a successful resolution at the annual meeting of the Medical Society of P.E.I. Saturday recommending that the province ban the use of the beds by people under the age of 18.

While the motion passed, O'Hanley said he would like to see the province go even further in regulating the beds, and require companies to have customers sign a consent form saying they are aware of the risks of using the beds.

"If they're going to make those choices, they should be informed," said O'Hanley.

"Some people would ask, I suppose, why not just argue for a total ban? Well, our society's not set up that way, of course. I mean, lots of us make choices that probably aren't in our best interest."

A study published in the British medical journal Lancet Oncology in July concluded the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 per cent when people start using tanning beds before the age of 30.

"This is supposed to be something that makes you look good. Melanoma does not look good," said O'Hanley.

Tanning bed operators on P.E.I. contacted by CBC News did not want to speak on the record. Some did say teenagers usually only use the beds for special occasions, like just before graduation. The said their business would be affected by any law that bans artificial tanning under 18.

The risks associated with the beds are being exaggerated, they said, and they are safe when used responsibly.

The provincial government has not commented on the possibility of regulating tanning beds. P.E.I. has the highest rate of melanoma in Canada.