Louisiana, Maine, and Vermont have recently joined other U.S. states in waving goodbye to tampon tax, as the country fights to unload financial stress on women by making menstrual products tax-free.
“There’s so much to teenage life that’s already stressful and uncomfortable as you go through puberty, that being aware that you lack resources is another additional element and stressor in your life,” says Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, co-founder of Period Equity, a nonprofit that advocates for menstrual products to be tax-exempt.
In the states of Louisiana and Vermont, tampons and pads, but also diapers won’t be taxed anymore. Maine will also end tampon tax in the coming months. In addition, at least 20 states have by now introduced legislation to exempt menstrual products from taxes, and 12 of them intend to apply for the tax exemption before the end of the year.
