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Top New York Democrats pressure Walgreens, CVS to mail abortion pills in Republican states – LifeSite

ALBANY (LifeSiteNews) — Radical New York pro-abortion Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James sent a letter Thursday to executives at Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, urging them to distribute abortion pills in states that limit their distribution. The letter also urges the companies to distribute abortion pills despite Republican attorneys general warning them of potential legal repercussions should they do so. 

“Recent national events have spotlighted the critical role that pharmacies play in providing access to essential health care, including reproductive health care,” the letter begins. “That is why we write to you today to ask that you commit to making medication abortion available in your retail and mail-order pharmacies across New York State.” 

Speaking about the warnings made by Republican attorneys general about the distribution of abortion pills in states where abortion pills still face limitations, if not a ban, the letter reads, “We urge you not to allow these tactics to intimidate you, and to commit to making this critical medication available as widely as possible, based on a fair and unbiased interpretation of state and federal law.” 

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PRO-LIFE BOYCOTT: Demand CVS and Walgreens STOP Selling Abortion Pills!
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UPDATE (03/07/23): Walgreens won’t dispense abortion pills in 20 states

The pressure is paying off. Walgreens’ plan to dispense abortion pills nationwide is now in tatters, with the pharmaceutical giant announcing that it won’t mail the pills to, or sell them within, 20 states.

The news comes after 20 Republican attorneys general warned CVS and Walgreens that doing so would be in violation of federal law and that they were opening themselves to penalties.

But we can’t rest on our laurels with this boycott: Walgreens and CVS will only listen to us when their profits are threatened — we need a HUGE boycott so that blood money they get from selling abortion pills is dwarfed by the profits they lose when pro-life America shops elsewhere. 

Even Politico admitted in its reporting that “pressure” from pro-life voters like you helped change Walgreens’ plans, so now we’re asking you to take the next step: simply share this petition with your friends and ask them to join the boycott.

Thank you!

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Walgreens and CVS will begin selling mifepristone — a powerful chemical that kills unborn children in the womb — if pro-life America does not ACT NOW. 

Pro-life Americans MUST STOP the widespread sale and distribution of mifepristone by sending a message that only big-box stores will understand: A NATIONAL BOYCOTT OF WALGREENS AND CVS. 

Walgreens and CVS are the newest back-door channels for the pro-abortion movement, now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. 

Will you act now to STOP abortion drugs from reaching your pharmacy? 

Our work in the pro-life movement is FAR from over, especially now that Walgreens and CVS have chosen to push deadly drugs in their stores and in our communities! 

SIGN and SEND a message to Walgreens and CVS! This is completely unacceptable! 

We must stop abortion from reaching our pharmacies and stop the abortion industry from poisoning our communities — before it’s too late. 

These big-box stores respond only to profit. The pro-life movement must enact a national boycott if the abortion industry dares flood our neighborhoods! 

SIGN and SEND a strong message to Walgreens and CVS: unless they immediately reverse course, the entire pro-life movement will BOYCOTT their stores! 

SIGN NOW and send a clear message! 

MORE INFORMATION:

CVS & Walgreens announce plans to dispense abortion pills after Biden FDA loosens restrictions

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In December of last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration changed the rules regarding the abortion drug mifepristone, the first pill in a two-pill chemical abortion series, allowing the drug to be administered via mail.  

That same month, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel released an opinion stating that the Comstock Act, an over 150-year-old law that forbids shipping any “article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing which is advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use or apply it for producing abortion,” does not mean what it says it means. 

In January, the FDA announced a rules change that allows retail pharmacies to distribute abortion pills. Shortly thereafter, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid announced that they would be going through the process of certification for the distribution of the drugs. These announcements prompted the warnings from Republican attorneys general. 

“[W]e welcomed the FDA’s announcement in December 2022, that it would permanently lift the medically unnecessary requirement on in-person dispensing of mifepristone, an FDA-approved medication used for abortion care and to treat miscarriages,” the letter states.  

“We were equally heartened by initial announcements that the major national pharmacy chains, including yours, would seek certification from the FDA to dispense the medication. Increasing the availability of medication abortion—which now accounts for more than half of all abortions performed nationwide—is essential to the goal of expanding abortion access to meet increased demand in the wake of Dobbs. 

“Even as access to this medication is under threat elsewhere for political reasons, we remind you that New York’s law is simple,” the letter continues.  

“Abortion is legal and protected as a fundamental right under state law, and there are no legal barriers to dispensing mifepristone in New York pharmacies. New Yorkers urgently need their health care providers to clearly stand up for access to reproductive health care. As CEOs of corporations that operate multiple pharmacies in New York, you are entrusted with making decisions that could greatly impact the availability of this essential medication statewide.” 

The letter closes by asking the companies if they would “commit to dispense mifepristone to patients with a doctor’s prescription at all FDA certified pharmacy locations in the State of New York,” and if they would “commit to dispense mifepristone via mail with a doctor’s prescription to patients in the State of New York.” The letter also asks for legal reasons as to why the companies would answer in the negative for either question. 

The companies have 10 business days to respond to the letter. 

The letter follows an announcement by radical pro-abortion Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom of California that his state would boycott Walgreens after the company said that it would only dispense mifepristone in states where it would be legal to do so.  

Last month, Newsom announced a coalition of governors that would fight to expand abortion access. The coalition, called the Reproductive Health Alliance, currently consists of 20 Democratic state governors, Hochul among them. 

Hochul’s office has yet to respond to LifeSiteNews’ request for comment. 

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