Tanning tax, or saving the future?

Details within the recent Health Care Bill are coming to light, including the 10 per cent tax on tanning services nationwide. This tanning tax acts as a replacement to the original tax in the bill on Botox services, and seeks to generate necessary revenue. Tanning salon owners are crying foul, saying that the tax threatens both their employees and customer base.


In New York City, this equates to approximately $2 extra per tanning session. Many customers are complaining that this extra fee will put a strain on their pocketbooks. In my view, going to a tanning salon and spending $20 for 10 minutes of treatment is a luxury. If people were so concerned about their pocketbooks, they would likely spend the $20 on something more important. Tanning is certainly not an essential service, and a luxury tax on the product is not going to break the bank.

There is also positive impact that this tax will bring about in time. The United States spends $1.8 billion a year on skin cancer treatments. According to CNN Money, 2.3 million teenagers currently use tanning salon beds. A tax on what many consider a leading contributor to the issue can certainly curb future increases in the spread of disease.