You will probably have heard the news, as it was widely covered in the French press and on television: a new law threatens to ban 90% of tattoo inks from 1 January 2014. Here is a recap of the situation for those who missed it.
Ban on colored tattoo inks “as a precaution”
Certain scientists have denounced a gray area surrounding the ingredients of colored inks, and the government thinks it has found a way to deal with it. They plan to ban the majority of colored inks, under the questionable banner of “precautionary measures”. But a precaution against what? Anecdotal accounts of bad reactions? A colored tattoo which, unsurprisingly, became infected after being exposed to sunlight without adequate protection? My tattooed brothers and sisters, you know as well as I do that colored tattoo inks are no more dangerous than many other products still authorized by the law. But it’s not you I need to convince. It’s the State.
Tattoo artists driven underground and exiled
It is a worrying time because the stakes are so high. If the law is passed – and the date is fast approaching – we will be limited to black and gray tattoos, and professional tattoo artists will be pushed underground or exiled.
The resistance is forming, and you can play your part!
Fortunately, several courageous people are resisting and speaking out. Jim Appay, 20, a young man impassioned by tattoos is one of them. He has launched a petition that I immediately signed, and to which Pierre Jarlier, the senator of the Cantal region, has also given his full support. Over 130,000 people have stood up and signed the petition to save colored tattoos! The debate surrounding the ban on colored inks has also been raised at French National Assembly, and I have personally addressed an open letter to Marisol Touraine, the French minister for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Find out more at Tattoos.fr
To make our voices heard, from we must remain united and say no, once and for all, to this ridiculous ban. For more information and articles on the subject, visit Tattoos.fr.