As part of the health care reform bill, starting today there is a 10% increase in fake and bake services. Anytime taxes are raised, there are a handful of people up in arms. This time it’s the tanning salon merchants and some patrons.
Like cigarette taxes, this tanning tax is justified by the direct relationship between tanning and skin cancer which drives up health care costs. Skin cancer is labeled a woman’s health issue due to its high prevalence among women , especially those who are under 30 years old. However, anyone can get skin cancer.
This tax will help finance programs in the health care reform bill and encourage behavior change. I’m all for it!
Check out NBC’s news clip.
Yuka Polovina 