'Purpling' at universities under review amid health warning

Some Canadian engineering students are rethinking how to approach a long-standing tradition of dying their bodies purple in the wake of a Health Canada warning, writes Cassandra Szklarski for The Canadian Press.

Student representatives at Queen's University and the University of Toronto say they're looking at alternatives to gentian violet after health products that contain the substance were linked to an increased risk of cancer. The dye is popular among some campus engineering societies who've made it a tradition to colour students' hair, pinkies and even entire bodies at frosh (college freshmen) events.

Laura Berneaga, president of the University of Toronto engineering society, says it's considered a way to honour engineers of yore who used to wear purple armbands as identification. But now that it's come under Health Canada scrutiny, she says her university's orientation committee is searching for possible alternatives.
Full report on the CTV News Toronto site