Scotland Is the First Country to Have Free Period Products

Period products such as tampons and pads are now free to anyone in Scotland that needs them. This law was passed yesterday, two years after Parliament approved the legislation. 

Monica Lennon, the lawmaker who drafted the Period Products Act in 2020, expressed her excitement about the law’s passing on Twitter. 

“Proud of what we have achieved in Scotland,” Lennon tweets. “We are the first but won’t be the last.”

Proud of what we have achieved in Scotland. We are the first but won’t be the last. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🩸🙌#PeriodDignity #FreePeriodProducts #MenstrualJustice follow @Period_Poverty for updates. https://t.co/8bFTML3MkK

— Monica Lennon MSP (@MonicaLennon7) August 15, 2022

Because of this new law, every council in Scotland is required to determine the best access point for menstrual products within their local community. According to an email sent to the New York Times from Lennon, “period products would be available at libraries, swimming pools, public gyms, community buildings, town halls, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices.” 

As of now, Scotland is the only country in the world to provide free menstrual products for its people; though some parts of Northern Ireland, New Zealand, and Seoul, Korea are starting to offer free menstrual products in schools. According to the Alliance for Period Supplies, 17 states and Washington D.C. have passed laws to ensure that students who have a period have access to period products for free while at school. 

Secretary Shona Robison, a politician serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, released a statement in support, stating that “providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them….The work we are doing in Scotland continues to be world-leading, going beyond provision of free products. We have also provided funding for an education website for employers, run a successful anti-stigma campaign, and improved menstrual health resources available for schools.”

So, how can people take advantage of this and find free menstrual products? They can download and use the mobile app called PickupMyPeriod, which “directs users to the nearest location where free period products are available.” The app also provides its users menstrual health education in the form of flashcards. 

Here at Glitter, we believe that having access to menstrual products is important and we hope that the United States can one day follow suit. For more information on this law, you can visit @Period_Poverty on Twitter, which is run by Monica Lennon and her team.

🌎 Exciting to see momentum for period dignity legislation continuing to build around the world.

🩸 Read what campaigners in Scotland say about the Period Products Act 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 which hits another big milestone on Monday. https://t.co/TubTJQreJK #PeriodDignity #MenstrualHealth https://t.co/T8f1uThUBM

— FreePeriodProducts (@Period_Poverty) August 13, 2022