Mechanical End Run of Abortion Restrictions Is Growing Trend on College Campuses Nationwide
After the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022, sending the issue of abortion back to the 50 states, pro-abortionists are scrambling to find ways to prevent pregnancies.
At the beginning of July, The Associated Press reported that colleges and universities have implemented a new measure to prevent pregnancies.
That measure is a vending machine, but not one with snacks and drinks, one with ibuprofen, pregnancy tests, and the morning-after pill, referred to as Plan B.
Nearly 40 universities in 17 states have implemented the new vending machine containing the emergency contraceptive pill, which is legal in all 50 states.
The pill cannot be placed in K-12 schools and must be stored at the right temperature and humidity, according to AP.
At least 20 states are considering adding emergency contraceptive vending machines, according to the American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC) per AP.
A Plan B vending machine is installed on the Boston University campus, offering low-cost emergency contraceptives with a swipe of a credit card. pic.twitter.com/ulHhSHuKQ8
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) July 10, 2023
ASEC’s executive director Kelly Cleland said the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade “is putting people’s lives at stake, so it makes pregnancy prevention all the more urgent.”
“If you live in a state where you cannot get an abortion and you can’t get an abortion anywhere near you, the stakes are so much higher than they’ve ever been before,” Cleland added.
“When you have a vending machine, it takes away a lot of those barriers,” Cleland continued. “Students can go on their own terms to get it when they need it.”
The state of Washington was the first this year to direct funds to universities in order to expand access to emergency contraceptives, according to AP.
The University of Washington machine sells generic Plan B for $12.60.
However, prices vary per institution.
At Boston University, for example, the pills are available for just $7.25, as reported by WBTS-TV.
“We just wanted something that was low-cost and easy to access. You don’t need to take a train across town. You don’t need to call a doctor,” said Charlotte Beatty, the former co-president of a group called Students for Reproductive Freedom.
“It’s right there and you can get it as soon as you need it,” Beatty added.
Student Zoe Amaris at the University of Washington praised the idea of having emergency contraceptives in vending machines, according to AP.
“There is a stigma associated with getting access to these medications,” she said. “Having a vending machine is so easy. You don’t need to go to a pharmacy. You don’t need to go through your health care provider.”
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