Tattooing: the protection of the public health

Tattooing is the ancient art form of introducing pigment under the surface of the skin by the use of a needle. This process, using an unsterile technique, can cause the spread of disease. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been reported to have been spread via this route. Controlling the spread of AIDS is a great public health concern. Tattooing must be regulated on a state or federal level to insure that the techniques used do not promote the spread of disease. Currently, government regulation of tattooing ranges from complete prohibition to no regulation at all. The following article examines existing regulation of tattooing. The author recommends that states pass legislation to insure that the standards of hygiene used by the tattoo artists will prevent the spread of disease. The author has included a model of such legislation.