--- title: President Obama Doesn't Understand the Tampon Tax, Either description: He wasn't even aware of the issue until YouTube interviewer Ingrid Nilsen brought it to his attention canonical: https://time.com/4183108/obama-tampon-tax-sanitary/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-15T21:12:17.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:40:47.285Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama Doesn't Understand the Tampon Tax, Either og:description: He wasn't even aware of the issue until YouTube interviewer Ingrid Nilsen brought it to his attention og:url: https://time.com/4183108/obama-tampon-tax-sanitary/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6d7ec496dcc80903/698879638e0601b30f46428b/487461415.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Energizer To Separate Into Two Publicly Traded Companies og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama Doesn't Understand the Tampon Tax, Either twitter:description: He wasn't even aware of the issue until YouTube interviewer Ingrid Nilsen brought it to his attention twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6d7ec496dcc80903/698879638e0601b30f46428b/487461415.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama Doesn't Understand the 'Tampon Tax' Either > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3bf90d0a-0ff3-4873-944c-5deb2175df9e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: TIME Raw: Obama Weighs In On Luxury Tax on Tampons and Pads [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Obama Weighs In On Luxury Tax on Tampons and Pads](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ks8ApjcS.m3u8) (2:46)  _Published 2016-01-15_ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 15, 2016 9:12 PM UTC by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 15, 2016 9:12 PM UTC President Obama said the existence of a “luxury goods” tax placed on feminine sanitary products like tampons and pads is likely due to the fact that men wrote the laws in an interview on Friday. YouTube personality Ingrid Nilsen asked President Obama why tampons were even considered “luxury goods” because few of the women she knows would consider menstruation a luxury. “I think Michelle would agree with you on that,” he said. “I have to tell you, I have no idea why states would tax these as luxury items,” Obama said Friday. “I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.” Obama said it’s “pretty sensible” for women in the [40 states](http://time.com/money/3907775/states-tax-tampons-candy-america/) where the items are taxed as luxury items to work on getting that changed. Because they’re state taxes, it will take action on a local level to get things changed. Last year ushered in a wave of interest in removing taxes on tampons and pads, leading Canada to remove a levy. A bill was also [introduced in California](http://www.newsweek.com/california-legislators-seek-end-tampon-tax-feminine-hygiene-products-412014) this week to eliminate the tax. The president also used the moment to plug his signature health care law, and the efforts therein to remove additional cost burdens women face when seeking care. “This raises a broader question that I’ve been working on since I came into office which was, how do we make sure that everybody has decent health care, preventive care and women in particular have the health care that they need,” he said. ‘The basic idea is that women should not be at a disadvantage in the health care system and this is just one more example of it, which I confess I was not aware of until you brought it to my attention.” ## Transcript [00:01] Now something that's really important to me and my [00:04] audience is women's health. And recently I was [00:07] shocked to learn that pads, tampons and other [00:11] menstrual products. Are taxed as luxury goods in [00:16] 40 states. And I don't know anyone who has a period [00:20] that thinks it's a luxury. Because it's- I think that's fair [00:23] to say, Michelle would agree with you on that. Yes, [00:25] because it's something that's part of our everyday [00:28] lives. Right. And is really crucial to our health as [00:30] women. Right. And so, I want to know why do these [00:34] items continue to be taxed. I have to tell you, I have no [00:38] idea why states would tax these as luxury [00:42] items. I suspect it's cuz men were making the laws [00:45] Yeah. When those tax were passed, and I think it's [00:49] pretty sensible for [ Barack Obama ] Women in those [00:51] states that you just mentioned, to work to get those [00:54] taxes removed. Those aren't federal taxes that are [00:57] imposed. Those are state taxes, state laws, so it'd be [01:00] governors and state legislatures who would have to [01:03] reverse those. But this is, raises a broader [01:07] question that I've been working on since I came into [01:09] office which was How do we make sure that everybody [01:11] has decent healthcare, preventive care, and women [01:16] in particular have the kind of healthcare that they [01:17] need? So when I passed the Affordable Care Act, [01:20] Obamacare, which sometimes gets all distorted [01:23] because of politics, but it's actually a pretty simple [01:25] proposition. And that is if you don't have health [01:28] insurance on your job, Then you shouldn't be [01:32] without coverage, because if you get hurt, if you get hit [01:36] by a car, if you have an illness, it could take [01:40] away everything that you have. And you should just be [01:43] focused on getting well. So, it allows you go on an [01:46] exchange, sign up on healthcare. gov. You can get. [01:50] Affordable coverage for young people who are healthy [01:53] typically costs less than your cell phone. But what we [01:56] also focused on is making sure that everybody who has [01:58] insurance, from whatever source can't [02:02] be discriminated against because they've got a [02:04] preexisting condition. That women can't be charge [02:07] more than men for insurance coverage [02:12] That pregnancy isn't treated as an illness, that [02:17] contraception is part of a standard [02:22] package of [02:25] care that you receive because, you know, the basic [02:29] idea is that women should. Not be at a disadvantage [02:33] in the healthcare system and this is just one more [02:36] example of it which I confess I was not aware of until [02:39] you brought up to my attention. Really? Yes. Wow! Well [02:42] now you know and now many other people know. 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