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Tag: tampons

  • Howard Co. students help add free feminine products to public libraries – WTOP News

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    The Period Club at Mount Hebron High School has paid to supply the county’s six public libraries with pads and tampons.

    Isha Ande launched the Period Club at Mount Hebron High School in Howard County.
    (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    The club, now in its second year, works with a distributor to buy pads and tampons for each library.
    (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    After securing grants and winning competitions, the club has paid to supply the county’s six public libraries with pads and tampons.
    (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    WTOP/Scott Gelman

    Two summers ago during an internship in the Howard County Executive’s office, Isha Ande had to scramble for a solution.

    While in the bathroom, Ande said she found out she was on her period. She hoped there were products available and noticed there was a machine offering them for 25 cents. But she didn’t have a quarter.

    Instead, Ande called her mom and asked her to drop the products off.

    The experience prompted Ande to launch the Period Club at Mount Hebron High School. The club, now in its second year, has five members. It’s untraditional, only meeting when opportunities or issues arise.

    After securing grants and winning competitions, the club has paid to supply the county’s six public libraries with pads and tampons.

    “I realized that something that women need, something that they can’t go on about their day without, is kind of taken away from them through either the barrier of money or just not even having these products available,” Ande said.

    Initially, the group testified before local leaders and advocated for funding for feminine products to be included in the most recent budget. The hope, Ande said, was for the budget to have funding to cover products in all public buildings across the county.

    But, “this was always our backup plan if that didn’t work,” Ande said.

    The club won a Maryland Youth Advisory Council grant and participated in a competition, helping it raise about $2,750. They worked with the same distributor the school used, buying two boxes of 250 pads and a box of 500 tampons for each library. They’re stored in a bin from Dollar Tree.

    Ande said that all cost about one-third of the available funds, so they can replenish the supplies when the libraries run out.

    “It is a need, and it’s something that a lot of women don’t have access to or just can’t afford,” Ande said. “Having this accessibility is super duper important.”

    The club, Ande said, “does make a lot of change, and we do really try to work hard and make an effort to have a lasting impact on our community.”

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Toxic metals including lead and arsenic found in multiple tampon brands

    Toxic metals including lead and arsenic found in multiple tampon brands

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    Tampons from many different brands may contain potentially harmful metals, a new study found.

    Researchers assessed tampons from 14 different brands and found “measurable concentrations” of all 16 metals that they tested for, according to the study, published last week in the Environment International journal. Metals that are considered toxic, including lead, arsenic and cadmium, were found in some of the tampons.

    Exposure to metals has been found to increase the risk of dementia, infertility, diabetes and cancer, according to a news release from the University of California, Berkeley. Metals can also damage the liver, kidneys, brain, fetal development and maternal health. They can also harm the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems. 

    Tampons can contain metals from agricultural or manufacturing processes. For example, the cotton material could absorb the metals from water, air, soil or a nearby contaminant. Or companies may intentionally add metals during the manufacturing process as part of a pigment or antibacterial agent, according to researchers.

    Tampons serve as a “particular concern” when it comes to potential sources of exposure to chemicals and metals, according to UC Berkeley, because the skin of the vagina has a higher potential for chemical absorption. Furthermore, a large portion of the population uses tampons — between 52% and 86% of people in the United States who menstruate use them, usually for hours at a time, according to researchers. 

    “Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons,” Jenni A. Shearston, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, said in the release. “To our knowledge, this is the first paper to measure metals in tampons. Concerningly, we found concentrations of all metals we tested for, including toxic metals like arsenic and lead.”

    In the study, researchers evaluated 30 tampons from 14 different brands for the following 16 metals: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc. Study authors did not specify which tampon brands they tested, but said that they selected products listed as “top sellers” on a major online retailer as well as “store-brand” products. The products were purchased between September 2022 and March 2023 in New York City; London, England; and Athens, Greece. 

    Metal concentrations varied based on where the tampons were purchased, whether they were organic, and whether they were store-brand or name-brand products. But metals were present in all types of tampons and no category had consistently lower metal concentrations. Lead was found in all tampons tested, researchers say. Lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons, but arsenic was higher in organic tampons, the study found. 

    The study authors point out that the governing bodies in the the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union — where they purchased tampons for the study — have regulations surrounding tampons that are “not extensive” and they do not require regular product testing. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration classifies tampons as medical devices and regulates their safety, but there is no requirement to test them for chemical contaminants. The researchers hope the findings of this study will help contribute to change in the industry.

    “I really hope that manufacturers are required to test their products for metals, especially for toxic metals,” Shearston said. “It would be exciting to see the public call for this, or to ask for better labeling on tampons and other menstrual products.”

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    Franki Rudnesky

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  • Study Shows Evidence that CBD-Infused Tampons Are Effective for Treating Menstrual Pain | High Times

    Study Shows Evidence that CBD-Infused Tampons Are Effective for Treating Menstrual Pain | High Times

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    A new study published in the Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders recently examined the efficacy of CBD tampons as a method of treating severe menstrual cramps and associated pain.

    In “Efficacy and usability of a cannabidiol-infused tampon for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea,” researchers found evidence that CBD-infused tampons “achieved statistically significant pain reduction” and that such tampons offer “fewer side effects than anti-inflammatories, while producing a similar pain-relieving effect.” The study was published on Dec. 19 but will be published in the March 2024 issue of Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders.

    The study team included five researchers from Anne’s Day Ltd. in the United Kingdom (described as a natural sciences and engineering development company), and one representative from the Institute for Medical Research in Bulgaria. Lead author Valentina Milanova is also CEO and founder of Daye, which puts a focus on conducting its own research to provide to its consumers. Daye sells a wide variety of tampons, pads, and claims to be the first company to make CBD-infused tampons.

    “The findings indicate the potential of CBD-infused tampons as a promising option for managing menstrual pain,” the researchers wrote in their joint conclusion. “Further research and exploration of this innovative product can contribute to the management of primary dysmenorrhea.” According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, primary dysmenorrhea is another term to describe cramping pain brought on by menstrual periods, which affect anywhere between 50%-95% of menstruating individuals.

    The study explores how the human body’s CB1 and CB2 receptors are present throughout uterine tissue, which makes cannabinoids in that area easy to administer and feel relief.

    A total of 114 participants (18-45 years of age) in the study were either presented with a CBD-infused tampon, or a regular tampon, and were interviewed about their various levels of pain, “including vaginal irritation, sensitisation, systemic toxicity, material-mediated pyrogenicity, and potential toxic shock syndrome risk.” The study took place over the course of three months.

    The results show that 37%-40% saw improvements with vaginal dryness, and 37%-40% said they experienced “improvements in mood or overall well-being.” Overall, over 80% described the product they tried as “satisfactory or enjoyable.”

    While positive, the researchers admitted that the study sample size is small, and should they revisit the topic again, they would improve their scope of study by recording pain data from both before and after participants have applied their CBD-infused or normal tampon. Additionally, they said that more research should be conducted in order to determine the efficacy of CBD-infused tampons further. “Future clinical research recommendations would include understanding the effectiveness of using CBD tampons against menstrual pain,” researchers concluded. “To further investigate the effects of CBD on pain, a metabolomics study to evaluate pain serum biomarkers or to assess the levels of CBD and painkillers in blood samples would be recommended.”

    Daye also features an article about CBD and explores what is currently known about CBD for period care and treatment. “CBD is often considered as a more natural and holistic approach to pain relief as opposed to taking opioids or traditional pain medication,” Dr. Semiya Aziz told Daye. “CBD is also generally considered to have lower risks and fewer side effects compared to traditional pain medication. There are promising results regarding CBD’s role in pain management, however, there is plenty more work that needs to be done in this field before it can be considered as an alternative option for traditional pain relief.”

    Numerous other studies have been published on the topic of cannabis as a treatment alternative for other medications. Earlier this summer, the University of Alberta completed research on its review of middle aged women in Canada. It found that out of 1,485 participants, 499 said that they currently use cannabis, and 978 said they have used it in the past. “Of the 499 current cannabis users, over 75% were using cannabis for medical purposes. Most common reasons for current use were sleep (65%), anxiety (45%) and muscle/joint achiness (33%),” researchers explained. “In current users, 74% indicated that cannabis was helpful for symptoms. Current cannabis users were more likely to report experiencing menopause symptoms compared with non-users. History of smoking and general health status were associated with current cannabis use.”

    A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, entitled “The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain,” found that opioids and cannabis are “equally efficacious” at reducing pain. The sample size of the study included 201 chronic pain participants, with 40 who use medical cannabis and 161 who use opioids to treat their pain symptoms. Of the two groups, 45% of medical cannabis consumers say they also have used opioids to treat their pain, while only 4.3% of the opioid consumers have tried using medical cannabis as an alternative treatment. Additionally, the medical cannabis group were more relaxed, slept better, and had improved moods. “The results of the present study underline that the psychoactive effects of [medical cannabis] can be therapeutically positive and have beneficial effects on mood and functioning,” the study authors concluded. “However, this conclusion would require more robust testing, ideally in randomized controlled trials.”

    Even celebrities such as Hulk Hogan have come out in favor of supporting cannabis as a way to replace both opioids as well as alcohol.

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    Nicole Potter

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