[Guest10928391]

In developing countries, I think it's a different story. I've visited my fair share of countries where public toilets don't have toilet paper. Or, someone stands at the door collecting payments, asks if you need toilet paper, and they take some sheets off the roll for you to use. If you put toilet paper in these kind of countries, it just disappears instantly. People have difficultly affording it when they make a dollar or two per day.

For a similar comparison, imagine if toilet paper costed $20 a roll in the US. Suddenly, it's being stolen everywhere from public places. Businesses can't afford to stock it in their toilets, as they can easily lose hundreds of dollars a day from theft. People also have trouble affording it at home, so it's not common in households. People are stealing entire rolls or filling their pockets with sheets because they can't afford to buy it. There's also suddenly a market for stolen toilet paper. People start stealing it from public toilets, and selling it for half price, $10 a roll on the street. Now we're in a situation like developing countries. This is why toilet paper is never provided, or you pay for a few sheets.

For the same reason, you can't stock pads and tampons in these countries. You said it yourself, stock them like toilet paper. Well, free toilet paper doesn't work in these places.

I don't know the solution. I would assume you need to give people ID numbers or stamps, and they can freely pickup N pads or tampons per month from a secure building.

[nailer]

Totally support everything you've said. They should be looked at like toilet paper in places that can afford to give away toilet paper.