Quintana Roo passes ‘Nicole’s Law,’ banning cosmetic surgery for minors
The reform is named after Paloma Nicole Arellano, who died after undergoing elective cosmetic surgery when she was only 14 years old. Her state, Durango, last year became the first to enact the ban. The post Quintana Roo passes ‘Nicole’s Law,’ banning cosmetic surgery for minors appeared first on Mexico News Daily
The southeastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo recently enacted a ban on cosmetic surgery for individuals under the age of 18, a measure commonly referred to as "Nicole's Law." The legislation derives its name from Paloma Nicole Arellano, a 14-year-old who suffered a fatal outcome following cosmetic surgery in Durango last September.
Her demise unveiled deficiencies in regulations governing elective procedures for minors, sparking calls for state-level restrictions. Pedro Haces Lago, a representative from Mexico City Congress, authored the legislation resulting in the city's version of the law earlier this year. The law prohibits cosmetic surgery for minors, save for reconstructive or medically necessary treatments.
It also intensifies penalties for unqualified medical practitioners. Mexico City followed suit in May, revising Article 172 of its Health Law to invalidate authorizations for clinics to perform aesthetic surgery on minors. The state and city-level measures do not constitute a nationwide law. The Quintana Roo Congress approved the reform on Monday, amending the state penal code to prohibit plastic, aesthetic, and cosmetic surgeries on individuals younger than 18 solely for cosmetic purposes.
Reconstructive procedures with medical justification, such as treating congenital malformations, cleft lip and palate, and other conditions necessitating specialized care, are exempted. Medical practitioners who carry out prohibited procedures face up to three years in prison, fines, and suspension of their professional practice.
A similar package was approved by a Jalisco congressional committee in August, though it awaits a final vote from the full legislature. Coahuila might be the next state to adopt a similar law. Internationally, such restrictions vary. Queensland, Australia, has prohibited unnecessary cosmetic procedures for minors since 2008, and Norway bans health professionals from providing higher-risk, non-medical cosmetic procedures on minors, even with parental consent.
Broad bans akin to those in Mexico are relatively uncommon in the United States and Canada, where regulation generally revolves around consent, medical judgment, and age-specific limits on procedures.
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