Almost three quarters of Britain's young men and women are boosting their risk of potentially fatal skin cancer in their search for a suntan.
A specially commissioned survey for Cancer Research UK today reveals that 70 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds still want a tan on holiday despite warnings of over exposure to the sun.
These alarming figures come in the wake of news that cases of melanoma – the most deadly form of skin cancer – have increased by 24 per cent in the last five years.
Dr Charlotte Proby, a leading dermatologist for Cancer Research UK, says: "Many teenagers have grown up with an obsession about getting a tan on holiday. But young skin is very vulnerable to UV radiation. Unless young people change their habits and learn to protect themselves properly in the sun we could be heading for a skin cancer time bomb."
Experts fear that while young people are constantly warned about the dangers of holiday binge drinking and unprotected sex not enough is being done to alert them to the dangers of irresponsible behaviour in the sun.
The survey has prompted Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health to focus on young people and mothers of young children in the second year of their jointly funded SunSmart campaign launched today.
It aims to target mothers with information on how to protect babies and toddlers from the sun and to encourage older teenagers, especially those going abroad alone for the first time, to reduce their skin cancer risk with proper protection from harmful rays.
Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson, says: " I am delighted to announce that the Department of Health will fund this excellent campaign for around £400,000 over the next three years in recognition of the importance we attach to its work.
" When you consider that sunburn in childhood increases the risk of skin cancer in later life, the importance of this SunSmart campaign really hits home.
"As a mother of teenagers I feel it is clearly important to continue warning them about the importance of protecting their skin – especially when they start to take holidays with their friends away from the family.
"Following the SunSmart code is such a simple way of reducing the risk of skin cancer."
Dr Proby says: "Almost 7,000 people in the UK were diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2000 and the numbers are rising steadily. It is largely a preventable cancer and we need to ensure that the public knows how it can reduce its risk.
"This year the SunSmart campaign will be providing information to schools, colleges, parents and doctors' surgeries urging people to protect themselves and their children in the sun and to be aware of any changes in existing moles or new ones appearing."
"The message is getting through slowly but, as the survey indicates, there is still widespread ignorance about the potential danger of sunburn."