It has come to my attention that people under the age of 18 are being told that it is OK to get tattooed in the state of North Carolina if they have parental permission to do so. This is not so. As a member of the Alliance for Professional Tattooist and a professional tattoo artist, I wish to make clear that under North Carolina law there is absolutely no informed consent allowed for under-18 tattooing.

If you have further questions regarding the tattooing of underage children, contact the local health department. If you know of a minor child who has been tattooed, contact the health department and the county sheriff’s department to report the violation of state statutes. Only in this way can we stop the operations of unlicensed tattooers and those who illegally tattoo minors, many of whom operate in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

As a professional, it concerns me that there are people out there who have no regard for the law and for the safety of our children. Many of these so-called artists have no sterilization and no knowledge of the sterile chain of events necessary when tattooing. There are many diseases which can be passed from person to person if these precautions are not followed, the worst of which is hepatitis.

Do your homework. Know who your artist is. Don’t go to some guy who is working out of his kitchen just because your friend knows him. Check out the studio. If you don’t feel comfortable, leave. And most of all, parents, know the laws. The rules governing tattooing can be found in N.C. General Statutes 130A–29 and can be found at your local library.

Jim Januzik

Pinehurst