Is the tanning tax just the beginning?

The back end of the 906 page Health Care Reform details a tax on indoor tanning. Starting in July, those who chose to bronze up inside will be charged an extra 10 percent, in addition to the normal tanning fees. This tax has raised questions about the future of taxes in this country.

Sheila Carrigan, a local attorney, questions the tanning tax.

“It is an interesting issue. The question is where are we going to stop with this, are we going to see taxes on other things that are not good for us, taxes on M&M’s and Popsicles? Are we going to get benefits for getting a gym membership?”

This tax highlights some of the health risks of indoor tanning, hoping to create an awareness of the negative effects tanning can have. Skin cancer has become the most common form of cancer for people between the ages of 22-25 years of age.

The new tax is estimated to bring in three billion dollars over the next decade, a small chunk of the $960 billion cost of health care reform. This fact plays a big role in why Carrigan believes it is likely we will see more taxes on more things that the government considers to be health risks.