Monday, December 10, 2007

Tattoo You

Once upon a time, 20 years ago this year as a matter of fact, I was hanging out with some friends, drinking some beer, and the conversation went like this-

"Hey, want to go get a tattoo?"

"OK!"

And off we went to get tattoos, from a friend of a friend of a friend. No thought. No care. We were drunk, and we were young. Quick, make a decision of what you want, and make it good, because it's like, forever, you know. I came up with a small music note with a peace sign in the middle, and put it right on my shoulder because I thought it would look cool when I was playing the drums and had a sleeveless t-shirt on.

The dude who did it was a professional with a shop, and it seemed sanitary, but who knows. We certainly didn't care. But no one told me how much these things bleed. Mine is very small- I can't imagine what it's like to get one of the big, full-sleeve tatts, probably need a transfusion or something.

A few years later, a friend of mine got a certain sensitve body part pierced- and it got infected. Ouch. She got very, very sick, and heavy duty anti-biotics were required. Not cool. The guy who did it was not a professional.

So, with the number of piercings and tatto parties suddenly becoming very popular, it's a good thing that we finally got this passed-

Hepatitis and skin infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, have been linked to tattoos and piercings. But other than requirements that minors have parental consent and that adults be drug- and alcohol-free when getting body art, there's no state law punishing artists for the unsanitary use of needles and gloves.

That could soon change. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to sign legislation passed last week requiring body art shops to get a $500 state license and meet safety standards.


Congrats to Senator John Gleason (D-Flushing) for getting this legislation through. Not only will it help ward off infections, it will increase the amount given at blood donations, currently restricted for a year for people with fresh piercings or body art. The American Red Cross estimates that another 30,000 units will be available from college and high school blood drives when this law is passed.

Up until now, individual counties could regulate the industry, but the state did not.

Starting in 2009, all county health departments would have to conduct annual inspections under the proposed law. The state also couldn't issue licenses until seeing inspection results.


The fines are pretty light, only a 90-day misdemeanor/$100 fine, but just having the health inspections should help do the trick.

Twenty years later, my tattoo is still there, of course, a little bit faded now from the years. It didn't heal quite right and there is a missing spot of color. I never bothered to have it touched up. I'm just glad it didn't get infected.

But let this be a lesson- stay away from that demon rock-n-roll and the firewater, or you, too, will be stuck on the internet paying attention to the Michigan legislature. Consider yourself warned.