Scotland becomes 1st country to make menstrual products free

Protesters in Scotland.
(Image credit: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed a bill making pads and tampons free for everyone — the first country in the world to do so.

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by Parliament member Monica Lennon and aims to end "period poverty" by getting menstrual products to people who can't afford them. The items will be available at public facilities, with the program estimated to cost the Scottish government roughly $32 million annually. Since 2018, period products have been free in schools, colleges, and universities.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.