Wyoming was the first US state to ban abortion pills. The state’s Republican governor, Mark Gordon, signed the law last night. The ban is expected to take effect in July.
The ban prohibits “prescribing, supplying, distributing, selling or using abortion pills for the purpose of obtaining or performing abortions.” Violating the ban is punishable by up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $9,000.
“Morning after pills” prescribed as birth control pills are exempt from the ban. In addition, interventions necessary “to protect a woman from imminent danger that seriously endanger her life or health” are also excluded.
discussion triggered
Abortion is still legal in Wyoming until the fetus is viable. In most cases, medications are used to terminate the pregnancy. Critics say the ban will mean that this will no longer be possible and the threshold for abortion will be raised.
Controversy over abortion has been going on in the United States for decades. Abortion law came back into the state’s hands last summer after the US Supreme Court ruled that previous rulings that guaranteed abortion rights were overturned.
The governor’s decision came a week later as access to abortion pills was the focus of a Texas lawsuit. There, a Christian group tried to ban the abortion drug mifepristone, which when combined with other drugs can cause abortion. A federal judge is currently reviewing this.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
