1 In 10 College Students Can’t Afford Pads Or Tampons. Could Menstrual Cups Be a Solution To Period Poverty?  1 in 10 college students struggle to afford panty liners, pads, tampons, and other menstrual hygiene supplies, according to a recent study in BMC Women’s Health journal. A new initiative called CampusCup has distributed free menstrual cups at 93 universities.