Louisiana expected to classify abortion pills as controlled and dangerous substances
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/23/mifepristone-misoprostol-abortion-pills-louisiana
Louisiana expected to classify abortion pills as controlled and dangerous substances
First-of-its-kind bill on mifepristone and misoprostol passed state legislature and is expected to be signed into law by governor
Associated Press
Thu 23 May 2024 14.02 EDT
Two abortion-inducing drugs could soon be reclassified as controlled and dangerous substances in Louisiana under a first-of-its-kind bill that received final legislative passage Thursday and is expected to be signed into law by the governor.
Supporters of the reclassification of mifepristone and misoprostol, commonly known as abortion pills, say it would protect expectant mothers from coerced abortions. Numerous doctors, meanwhile, have said it will make it harder for them to prescribe the medicines they use for other important reproductive healthcare needs, and could delay treatment.
Louisiana currently has a near-total abortion ban in place, applying both to surgical and medical abortions. The GOP-dominated legislatures push to reclassify mifepristone and misoprostol could possibly open the door for other Republican states with abortion bans that are seeking tighter restrictions on the drugs.
Current Louisiana law already requires a prescription for both drugs and makes it a crime to use them to induce an abortion in most cases. The bill would make it harder to obtain the pills by placing it on the list of Schedule IV drugs under the states Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law.
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