Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for easier access to birth control. The first-term congresswoman from New York suggested women shouldn't have to pay top dollar for prescriptions — or at all for that matter.
"Psst! Birth control should be over-the-counter, pass it on," she wrote on Twitter on Friday along with the followup tweet, "(IT should be free, too—like in the UK!)"
Under the U.K.'s National Health Service, women are able to receive contraception, including three varieties of birth control pills, without having to pay for it. Access to contraceptives is openly available at community contraception clinics throughout the country in addition to sexual health clinics. Doctors, of course, are also able to give them out for free to patients.
Birth control isn't the only health care product Ocasio-Cortez is hoping to make it easier to access. She filed new legislation this week calling for the removal of legal barriers that make it difficult for scientists in the U.S. to properly study the health benefits of some psychedelic drugs including psilocybin and MDMA, the active ingredients in psychedelic mushrooms and ecstasy, respectively.
The proposal is an amendment to an appropriations bill funding various parts of the government for Fiscal Year 2020. It aims to remove an inclusion that prevents spending federal money on "any activity that promotes the legalization of any drug or other substance in the Schedule I" of the Controlled Substance Act.
Schedule I drugs — which also includes heroin and cocaine — are categorized as having no accepted medical use. However, medical research has continued to explore the possible benefits of some Schedule I drugs like marijuana, psilocybin and MDMA.
In the legislation, Ocasio-Cortez suggested the psychoactive ingredient found in psilocybin and MDMA have "shown promise in end of life therapy and treating PSTD." Under Schedule I drug restrictions, though, scientists aren't able to extensively research more potential benefits of the drug.
"From the opioid crisis to psilocybin's potential w/ PTSD, it's well past time we take drug use out of criminal consideration + into medical consideration," Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet announcing the legislation on Saturday. "That begins with research. I'm proud to introduce an amendment that helps scientists do their jobs."
From the opioid crisis to psilocybin's potential w/ PTSD, it's well past time we take drug use out of criminal consideration into medical consideration.
That begins with research. I'm proud to introduce an amendment that helps scientists do their jobs. https://t.co/V1BziVeNtr — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 8, 2019
If approved, the measure would overturn funding restrictions that have existed within the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education since at least 1996.
Ocasio-Cortez's bill proposal comes following a new referendum in Denver, Colorado, which would decriminalize magic mushrooms in the city. The motion, passed in May, would allow "personal use and personal possession of psilocybin mushrooms" by adults age 21 or older to be viewed as "the city's lowest law-enforcement priority."
TMhorus on June 9th, 2019 at 00:45 UTC »
free and sold? newsweek have interns writing the headlines?
SLOBaron on June 8th, 2019 at 23:18 UTC »
Speaking as a pharmacist in Europe, there's plenty of reason for not selling BCPs over the counter.
Take aspirin for example, which (at least in Slovenia) is sold OTC in the higher - 500 mg dose for headaches, fewer anti-inflammatory and so on BUT NOT the smaller 100 mg dose for blood-thinning. So, the "less dangerous" pill is on prescription and not the higher dose. The main reason being that 100 mg of aspirin is used chronically-long term and if there is an emergency the doctors can see per your medical card that you're using a blood thinner which is a very important peace of information if you're bleeding for example. The 500 mg dose is used only sporadically when you need it, it's not constantly in your blood.
Now contraception pills can have many side effects on patients and are not only used for averting a unwanted pregnancy. This are hormones and there's no way any hormone should be given without prescription. These things need to be documented and regularly checked so that negative outcomes can be reduced.
And for all of you saying "well a pharmacist can tell a woman any dangers/contraindications regarding the BCPs when they're selling them" no, we can't. If a woman goes and buys the pills one day, and then picks up other medication another there's no way of knowing except if you're having a long talk with us about everything you're taking (food and food-supplements included) which is not practical. So many things can cause BCPs to not be effective it's just silly. If you want this to happen then there should be this kind of talk for everything you're taking, which you'd soon see how well that works out.
If you want BCPs then your doctor should prescribe them to you. This really shouldn't be a problem today, although I wouldn't know how these things are in "freedom land".
BCPs are not candy and should not be given out as one. They should be covered by your insurance (again, no idea how that is handled there, here it is) and as such should be free. But not OTC.
WalmartVirgin on June 8th, 2019 at 19:02 UTC »
Hey Conservatives! Hate abortion? This is a great way to drastically reduce the numbers of women having the procedure. Take notes.