And I’m having trouble feeling bad about it:
The sun hasn’t exactly set on Solar Planet, but anxiety over the fate of the Arlington tanning salon has been running high ever since a “tan tax” took effect last Thursday.
One of the less-publicized measures in the new health-care law, the tax imposes a 10 percent surcharge on the use of ultraviolet indoor tanning beds.
Supporters — including the Obama administration, congressional Democrats and dermatologists — have argued that the tax will raise an estimated $2.7 billion toward the cost of expanding health coverage to the uninsured, while discouraging a practice that increases the risk of skin cancer by as much as threefold in frequent users, according to scientific research.
But outraged owners of tanning salons worry that the levy could deal a death blow to an industry already reeling from the recession.
Look, we tax cigarettes at a much higher rate than other things. Alcohol, too. And other stuff that’s unhealthy. Tanning is really bad for you. Plus, go out in the sun if you want to save money.
It’s not that I don’t understand why some of you are upset about this; it’s just that I can’t get that worked up about it.
