ALBANY, N.Y. - Republican Gov. George Pataki vetoed legislation Thursday that would have allowed pharmacists to dispense the so-called “morning-after pill” without prescriptions.
Pataki, who had announced Sunday that he would veto the measure, said he was most upset that the bill did not require minors to see a physician.
I agree that the bill should have been vetoed soley on the fact that minors can purchase these products without parent permission. Pataki also wants to limit the number of pills that can be purchased at a time, which is definately something that should be considered. However, I do support the rest of the bill. Here's why:
Emergency contraceptives can reduce the chance of pregnancy by 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of intercourse, and supporters said making them available without a prescription would help more women get the pills in time.
“As we all know, accidents don’t happen during doctors’ office hours,” Adrienne Verrilli of the Sexuality Information and Education Council said. “They occur at night and on weekends when doctors are difficult to reach.”
Most people probably engage in unplanned sex on the weekend. Many doctors, including Planned Parenthood, frequently do not have many weekend hours if they even have them at all. The morning-after pill should be available to any woman over the age of 18. Fortunately, Pataki has agreed to work out a reasonable compromise with legislators. Pataki is also fighting to have the bill require patients purchasing the pill to receive "counseling on the health risks of unprotected sex." That's all we need, more nanny-states.