After many years of being under ban, Massachusetts has finally been given the official "go-ahead" for tattooing. The original ban was placed on the state in 1962 after an outbreak of Hepatitis in New York was blamed on local tattooing establishments. This started a surge of paranoia that spread through several states, including Massachusetts. A ban was placed against any and all tattooing that was not being performed by a licensed physician in the state.
For the last several years, tattoo artists and enthusiasts have been fighting to re-establish legalization of the art. Today, their voices have been heard. Today they are reaping the fruits of their labors as the Tattoo Underground can now come out and be recognized as a legal establishment.
The ban was actually dissolved almost three months ago by a Superior Court Judge, but was quickly put on hold by the Health Department for 90 days so rules could be established. These rules are now in order and as of February 1, 2001, tattoo studios are free to open business as long as they comply with the regulations. Some of the regulations are that no one under the age of 18 may be tattooed under any circumstances. Artists must meet certain requirements in order to obtain licensing, including taking courses through the APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooists) and OSHA. These rules officially take place on February 1st.
The lifting of the ban for the state does not necessarily mean, though, that it will be acceptable to open shop just anywhere. Individual cities and townships are responsible for making their own regulations and deciding if they will allow tattoo establishments to be licensed or not. Zoning officials can also come to play in making it easy or difficult for these businesses to settle in.
It is anticipated that close to 1,000 tattoo studios will open in the state once legalization officially goes through. Congratulations, Mass!
