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Moral claims flout law

First of all, I want to thank The Spokesman-Review for the editorial “State must keep morality out of the pharmacy” (Nov. 10). This year marks the 50th anniversary of the approval of the birth control pill, yet it is still out of reach for so many women.

Most adversaries of emergency contraception argue morality as a basis for opposing the medicine. The notion that emergency contraception acts as an abortion is ridiculous and should not be a point of discussion. The “morning after pill” is FDA-approved for being safe and effective and is simply a way to prevent an unintended pregnancy and nothing else. If there is moral strife about abortion, then more effort should be put into prevention, not prohibiting women from obtaining legal medicines.

Increased access to birth control and emergency contraception is a way to prevent unplanned pregnancies. In a perfect world unintended pregnancies wouldn’t exist and sex would always be consensual, but we don’t live in a perfect world.

The law is in place to protect a woman’s fundamental right to control her own fertility in this imperfect world. Pharmacies need to provide medication deemed safe and legal by the government.

Jennifer Zimmerman

Spokane

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