France may ban colour tattoos

TATTOO parlours say a law which would ban most colour inks threatens to push the industry underground, or make it collapse.

The ban is due to enter force in 2014. It was put forward by the Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament (ANSM) following recommendations from the national union of dermatologists.

It will affect all tattoo colours except black, white, grey, green and blue.

Representatives of the national union of tattooists, SNAT, are meeting MPs today hoping to gain protection for their profession.

They argue that banning inks because of associated health problems is not appropriate, given alcohol and cigarettes do not receive the same treatment.

France’s 4,000 tattoo parlours will suffer as clients go abroad for their tattoos, or some will carry on using colour illegally to stay in profit.

One person in 10 in France has a tattoo, 20% of them are aged under 35, according to an Ifop poll.

The co-founder of SNAT, Tin-Tin, said as yet there was no proven link between tattoos and cancer. He said however that the union was interested in taking part in any scientific studies on the subject.

He said it was in the interests of tattoo parlours and their clients to have more information on the health risks, especially as the number of people getting was continuing to rise,

An online petition has already received 108,000 signatures since it was launched in mid-November.

Photo: flickr/Kris Krug