Hygiene should be supported, not taxed

Everyone loves tax-free items. The so-called “tax-free weekend” event draws big crowds because the money saved can, and does, add up.

Many items are tax-free year-around — milk, cold medicine, baby food, antidepressants, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, acne treatments, to name a few — but feminine hygiene products, condoms and diapers are all strangely missing from the list.

Some lawmakers are trying to change that with separate bills to eliminate the taxes on these items.

The idea of stripping the tax of feminine hygiene products has been catching momentum over the last few years. Many states have considered removing their “tampon tax.”

Some call the tax gender injustice, but mainly it comes down to necessity. Most women and girls need feminine hygiene products monthly, and that tax can add up quickly. The same with diapers and condoms.

Losing the tax revenue from these items might sting the state’s finances, but it’s hard to argue that diapers aren’t worth a tax exemption but acne treatments are.

Feminine hygiene products, diapers and condoms are not frivolous items. We should be encouraging good hygiene and disease-killing practices by not taxing them.

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Hygiene should be supported, not taxed."