Tanning Beds Get the Increased Tax Treatment

Tanning indoors is a difficult subject for me to talk about. Am I for indoor tanning being taxed? The answer is yes. Saying this makes me feel hypocritical because from the ages of 19-26 when a precancerous mole was found on my back, I was an avid tanner. I was at the tanning salon every single day for three of those years.

I have my reasons for believing tanning should be taxed. The first is that the tanning bed increases the rate of skin cancer many times than over normal exposure to the sunlight. Cigarettes and alcohol have so called "sin taxes" because the act of using them damages the body. The user knows the damage he or she could be doing to the body but chooses to act in the behavior willingly. Smoking cigarettes is of course addictive and for some, alcohol is as well. In my opinion, if those behaviors are punished by taxing then a behavior that is not addictive-such as tanning but equally dangerous should be taxed if the taxes are used for such circumstances as healthcare.

I am somewhat cynical about taxing tanning indoors in tanning beds, however. Taxing of so called "junk food" has recently been discussed as well. If this taxing continues will we be required to pay a tax on the air we breathe? I'm not sure there is an easy answer to this question. Taxes on tanning could theoretically help recoup medical costs for those who are diagnosed with skin cancer as a result of the exposure from tanning beds just as taxes on cigarettes could help recoup medical costs for lung cancer caused by smoking cigarettes. A lot of people who participate in these activities are uninsured and therefore funding to help their medical costs needs to be found. The key question would be whether the funding goes to help the poor with medical or other needs or if the taxes would go into the already conservative elite's pockets? If the taxes would not help the poor, they should not be implemented.

Taxes are certainly no fun but an increase in a tan luxury behavior, such as lying in a tanning bed is a better alternative to increased taxes on the food we eat, the clothes we wear, etc. It is possible that taxes on tanning may increase the cost so much some will be unable to afford it and therefore avoid becoming sick with skin cancer in the first place. One question I have is those who have tanning beds at home, would they be taxed extra in the purchase of a home tanning machine? If this is not the case then there could be an increase in home tanning units and a decrease in those done in the salon. The taxes would then be irrelevant

As long as taxes on tanning indoors go to expenses that help the general public, it should be done.

http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=you_indoortan
http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/2009/07/tanning-bed-tax-is-coming-tanning-beds.html

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