Morning-After Pill

The FDA has until September 1st to decide whether or not the morning-after pill should be available in stores without having to get a prescription. Their next question that they have to answer is: should there be an age restriction?

If you allow the morning-after pill to be sold over the counter, what is the point in getting a prescription for regular birth control? Why not allow that to be sold over the counter as well?

A few things will happen because of this:

1. Essential communication will be eliminated between doctor and patient concerning personal sexual activity,
2. Less condom usuage, therefore increasing the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV,
3. Sexual intercourse is a gift from God for two people who are in a significant relationship, promiscuity may increase, and
4. If an age restriction is not set, teens may feel pressured to have sex earlier.

The other side argues that this will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, and an age restriction should not be set because anybody else can buy it for them. Y'know, kinda like the whole cigarette thing with 18+ year olds buy cigarettes for those under the age limit. WELL, are there not strict laws for anybody who is caught doing this? A child needs to think clearly about the consequences of their actions - would they truly understand what they are doing when they take that pill? They would probably view it as taking the "magic pill." Besides, has there been extensive research if somebody takes these pills daily? Women will be messing with their hormones, there could be complications if they rely to heavily on this morning-after pill.

People have every opportunity to have a prescription on hand in case something like this occurs; it's a matter of convenience. Since when did the healthcare system want to be convenient? And how much is one of these pills going to cost without a prescription? We all know the out-of-pocket costs there are associated with Claritin, which used to be prescription based.