what percentage of people are drunk when they get a tattoo?

Question

or what percentage of tattoos are inked onto someone who is drunk?

no guesses, please.

i'm trying to prove someone wrong.
:)

...or otherwise under the influence of drugs.

Answer 1

Maybe a lot of amateur tattoos, but most professionals will not tattoo someone who is intoxicated. Besides the obvious lawsuit from some Yuppy who thought a tattoo was cool when drunk, and now wants to sue when sober because it's always someone else's fault, there is also the hygene side. Alcohol thins the blood, and causes a tattoo to bleed a lot more. A professional tattooist (not your white trash, methed up neighbor) doesn't want your blood all over their equipment, table, chair, gloves.
So I think it's a split answer. Those backyard tattoos that look like a 6 year old drew it on with a faded pencil? Yeah, probably drunk. The backpiece that makes you drop your jaw and go "Wow!" Nope, not drunk.

Answer 2

Rider is very likely correct in that there are almost certainly no statistics. It's kind of like how many people drive drunk and get away with it - it's going to be hard to track.

I do know that all the shops I've seen where I live have some variant of "don't come in if you're on something" and the usual refusal of service to anyone they wish. Considering how busy they are with real customers, there's no reason to "cheat tourists & drunks". If I have to make appointments 1-3 months in advance, there's no way some random drunkard will stumble in & get anything.

An indirect proof that it's at least locally very rare, but sometimes that's all you can get.

Answer 3

Very few because no reputabile artist would dare tattoo on a drunk person. Plus most people generally know better because they have been told it thins the blood, and would not want to bleed too much.

Answer 4

Tattoo artists will not tattoo an individual that is inebriated or high. It is against the law and they are putting themselves at risk by doing that. I'm sure that there are instances but they aren't formally recorded. My artist has about a 4 month wait time and they are very clear when you're making your appointment initially.

Answer 5

Something from a brochure I got from where I got my piercing:

Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs 24 hours prior to your appointment. As far as drugs go, do not come in under the influence of anything illegal or anything that could inhibit your decision-making skills. Also, try to avoid aspirin and antihistamines 24 hours prior to your appointment as these tend to thin your blood.


In some states, such as South Dakota, it is illegal to receive a piercing or tattoo when under the influence:
http://www.everytattoo.com/southdakotalaw.shtml

and states where it is not illegal, majority of tattoo artists will not work on someone who is under the influence to prevent lawsuits.

Answer 6

i have never been drunk when getting a tattoo but i think you'll find that data hard to come by since technically tattooers aren't supposed to tattoo drunk people. some people i know have gotten drunk in order to stand the extreme pain of certain tattoos (like the sternum) but did not get drunk on all of the other ones they have.
soooo, maybe you should do a poll.

Answer 7

There is no way to give you an accurate percentage. However the number would be very low. Tattoo shops are regulated and I don't think this happens much any more.

Answer 8

That number is very low these days. Most tattoo artists will not tattoo someone they suspect is drunk or high. THis prevents lawsuits.

Answer 9

To be totally honest, when I got my one and only tattoo, I was still half drunk from the night before. It was a professional place but I must have masked it well enough.

Answer 10

Most reputable shops won't even touch someone who is drunk or high on drugs.