Plan B Now Available to 17 Year Olds
Plan B, the so-called ‘morning after pill’ is now available to people as young as 17 years old without a doctor’s prescription.
The decision to lower the legal age to buy Plan B over the counter came from a decision made by Judge Edward R. Korman of Federal District Court in New York. He stated that the decision to limit easy access to Plan B to those 18 and older in November 2006 was driven by politics, not by science and gave the agency 30 days to lower the age limit to 17.
Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights said that they are pleased that the FDA is taking the necessary steps to comply with the court’s order and that it is time for the FDA to restore confidence in its ability to safeguard the public health and put medical science first.
And as per usual, where there is good news for reproductive and women’s health, there are people and organizations fighting to take us 5 steps backward.
Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, a conservative advocacy organization, said the agency’s decision was driven by politics and a mistaken judicial decision. She added that parents should be furious at the FDA’s complete disregard for parental rights and the safety of minors. Anti-choice advocates have vocally predicted that easier access to Plan B will lead women to have more unprotected sex and thus, more abortions, while there is no evidence that either has happened or will happen.
Anti-choice advocates are always painting women to be completely clueless and careless human beings and while a lot of anti-choice advocates are women themselves, this paints a beautiful picture of privilege and women’s love of woman shaming. Yes, I said it… Women are also guilty of woman shaming, most often when they are accusing other women of being unable to form an educated decision over their own reproductive freedoms.
Plan B being available to people 17 years old and older is a great victory for reproductive rights. We have seen time and time again that abstinence-only education does not work and we must give people, of all ages, the necessary and comprehensive education they need about sex and contraception in order to effectively protect themselves and their partners. To do any less is cheating our youth out of the education they deserve.
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I think that this news is great. People this age are the ones who need quick access the most.
I can't lie, the new legal decision in NY is a little distressing. As a mom, it scares me to think that my daughter would some day use Plan B without consulting me, especially when she is still a minor.
But that is where I, as a parent, must work to raise my daughter (who, thankfully, is only 5) to not only make smart decisions, but to not be ashamed of approaching me for counsel or support.
My only main concern is that continued education on protection does not diminish. Women (young or old) need to continue to take all steps to protect their sexual freedom – condoms are still necessary. Plan B has been used, and not abused, in Europe, there is no good reason to assume that that will not be the case here in the good ol' US of A.
Thanks for a nice and informative site. Somehow I was drawn to reading the post and I enjoyed a lot. Have a nice day!
I think that this is a great news
I think that this is a great news