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Nevada just became the 10th state to eliminate the 'tampon tax,' paving the way for greater 'menstrual equity'

This week voters in Nevada approved a ballot initiative that eliminates the so-called "tampon tax." Nevada is the 10th US state to do so.

  • tampon
  • menstruate

Nevada residents who menstruate will be saving some money on their future pad and tampon purchases: The state has now eliminated its so-called "tampon tax."

On Tuesday, Nevada voters approved a ballot initiative called State Question No. 2, meaning tampons and pads are now exempt from the state's 6.85% sales tax, Vox reported.

Detractors argued that exempting these items from sales tax will cost the state tax revenue (as much as $8.5 million a year, according to an analysis in the Nevada Independent), but proponents contended that the tax unfairly targets women, who are the primary consumers of menstrual products.

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Vox's Anna North also pointed out that the US Food and Drug Administration regulates tampons as medical devices, and other medical devices like splints and bandages are already exempt from Nevada sales tax, according to an official informational booklet explaining the state's 2018 ballot questions.

The "tampon tax" isn't a tax on tampons specifically. Rather, it refers to the fact that in some US states, certain health and medical supplies are exempt from sales tax, while tampons are not, NPR reported earlier this year.

But in many states, that's changed. According to NPR's report, nine other states besides Nevada have already exempted menstrual products from sales tax: New York

"The economics of menstruation matter," she wrote. "A good policy can help ensure that the cost of periods does not pose a barrier to anyone’s ability to obtain an education, live with dignity, and participate fully and productively in civic life."

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