Plan B will be available to 17-year-old girls

By Morgan Majchrzak

Staff Writer

Federal Judge Edward Korman has ruled that 17-year-olds should be able to get the morning-after pill without a prescription, changing the previous Food and Drug Administration’s rule of the pill being available to women 18 and older and only by purchase from a pharmacy counter.

This, I feel, is absolutely ridiculous. These girls are 17, which means they are underage and therefore still minors. Also, at 17, parents make decisions for the child because the child is still a minor in the eyes of the law. By passing this law, the judge is hypothetically supporting pre-marital teenage sex and the fact that if a 17-year-old thinks she is pregnant, she can now go buy a pill to make things better and make the problem go away.

I now see why teenagers are getting pregnant — it is because of judges like this that allow 17-year-olds the option to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy. Now, more teenagers will be having sex because the ‘quick fix’ to an unwanted pregnancy is in every pharmacy. So many teenagers are going to see this as a golden opportunity to make pregnancy no longer an issue. Since the judge feels that 17-year-olds can make this decision, then why can’t they vote or join the military? If we are allowing such a huge responsibility to fall on them with Plan B, then the age for other rights and responsibilities should be lowered, too. I feel that 17-year-olds aren’t mentally mature enough to make such a huge decision, and I am not sure if some 18-year-olds are, but the law is the law.

I really feel that the judge should have kept the original policy of 18 years or older. At 18, a woman is an adult in the eyes of the law — she can join the military, she can vote — there is no more mommy hand holding. Being 18 carries many more responsibilities, and I feel that purchasing Plan B should be one of them. Parents are not legally obligated to make medical decisions, and the bottom line is that at 18, you are an adult.

I feel like the judge should reverse this decision. It is wrong for 17-year-olds to have this in their hands. They are minors! Shame on the judge for granting this option to minors and for thinking they can make such a huge decision.

Comments/Opinions (0) | Add your comment/opinion..
Number of comments awaiting approval: (0)

Search issues |  Publication schedule |  Contribute your ideas to the Flyer |  Advertise with us |  RSS feed

(C) Copyright 2005-2007 The SU Flyer

Guerrieri University Center Room 215

410-543-6191