Open AccessThe Role of Public Health Advocacy in Achieving an Outright Ban on Commercial Tanning Beds in Australia
Author(s) -
Craig Sinclair,
Jennifer K. Makin,
Anita Tang,
Irena Brozek,
Vanessa Rock
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2013.301703
Subject(s) - grassroots , legislation , opposition (politics) , public health , political science , public administration , environmental health , medicine , law , politics , nursing
Although many countries still face opposition to the legislation of artificial tanning beds, all Australian states and territories have announced a total ban on commercial tanning beds. A combination of epidemiological and policy-centered research, powerful personal stories, and the active advocacy of prominent academics, cancer organizations, and grassroots community campaigners contributed to the decisions to first legislate standards and then ban all commercial tanning beds. We have illustrated that incremental change can be an effective pathway to securing substantial public health reforms.