(I know, George Michael jokes are probably lost on a lot of you, but I just couldn't help myself.)
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This may be a bit of a strange question, but my attempts at researching this question have yielded very few results. I'm 16 years old, and the other day, I went into a gas station near my home in Michigan to buy some condoms. I'm on the Pill, but I use condoms every time with my boyfriend due to my paranoia of pregnancy. When I brought the condoms to the counter, the woman behind it informed me that there is a law that forbids the selling of condoms to those under 18. This didn't really sound plausible to me, considering that the age of consent in Michigan is 16 and it would be rather counterproductive to ban condoms for 2 years, however, the woman vehemently refused to sell them to me. Is there any sort of law (in Michigan or a national law) that forbids stores from selling condoms (or pregnancy tests, etc.) to minors?
The Center for Reproductive Rights provides this in-depth map of abortion laws around the world.
My girlfriend is 17, and I am 19. We had unprotected sex a few days after she finished her period. I know its foolish to not use protection, however we both decided we didn't want anything in between us. I made certain that I didn't ejaculate inside her. She might be pregnant, but right now I'm really just looking at all the options. The state we live in, Virginia, requires one parent to be notified of a decision to get an abortion. However, in Washington D.C. there are no rules saying a minor has to contact or notify her parents or anything. I've read that it is illegal to transport or drive the minor across state lines to get an abortion. Is that true? If yes, could she drive the car and I be a passenger? Or follow her in my car? If she is pregnant, I know she wouldn't want to get her abortion alone... so what is the current laws on this? I have the money to pay for it!
From the ACLU blog today:
I would appreciate a little light shed on my question, it puzzles me greatly. I asked a good while ago if I could start on Birth Control, and my father actually wouldn't mind, in fact, he supports it. My stepmother, on the other hand, doesn't seem comfortable with it. Despite the obvious discomfort, she said she'd call her doctor and see what she could do. Days later, she told me they won't take anyone under 18. This confused me. I know many teenagers on Birth Control. I hope she's not just saying that, although it wouldn't be the first time she did something rather similar to that. At first I got the feeling that she thought I would change if I was on the pill, like I was invincible and I could never get pregnant, so I can have sex whenever I want. The thing is, I'm not sexually active, I'm a virgin. I often get the feeling she thinks I'm a tramp. I would NEVER think in that fashion. So, my question to you, do you have to be a certain age to consult a doctor about Birth Control? And although I'm only 16, would that be my personal choice to take the pill? Or do they have a say in it until I'm a legal adult?
This is really important! Okay, I need to know what I need to do to obtain birth control, by myself. My boyfriend and I have been sexually active for a few months but we always used condoms. Properly, I assure you. However, about a month ago, we both came to the conclusion that we wouldn't have vaginal sex anymore cause of how worried we both got about pregnancy risks afterwards. Now we're really wanting to start again. But I really want to get on the pill before we do. I just honestly don't know where to start with that. I have to make an appointment with a doctor right? Well, I don't know where to go for the appointment. The doctor that I've always gone to is like a family doctor and he even delivered me so that would just be awkward cause he's like friends with my mother and everything. And I don't know what to expect from the appointment. I really just wanna go in, get the birth control, and be outta there. But that's probably not the case. So what should I expect? And how much does the appointment, on top of the purchase of the birth control cost? My boyfriend will help with the money of course, but I'm scared if they're gonna do any tests. I've never had a pap smear or anything. It's hard that I have to do this alone. My mother I KNOW won't support me in this. But it's what I've decided to do and it's what I want. So I would appreciate some advice. /: Thank you.
The morning after pill is now legal in the U.S. for over-the counter use, without a prescription, for those over 18.
But what does that mean to you?
Following is an in-depth question and answer page about the decision and how it will be applied for all women, about Plan B, and about pharmacist refusals and how to manage them. Please circulate this information and/or link it as widely as possible, (with attribution to the author, please).
The FDA press release from the day of the decision stated:
Well, for women 18 and older.
Minors will still need a prescription to obtain emergency contraception in most states. Despite the restriction, this is a step in the right direction that was a long overdue. For more information about emergency contraception and how it works, check out this article on Scarleteen's main site: Emergency Contraception. To learn more about the accessibility of the morning after pill in your state GO2EC.org is the place to start.
The FDA panel overseeing the issue of making EC over the counter has not only once stalled on a ruling because they have requested "public comment" before doing so, they have now stated they need even MORE public comment. Bear in mind that, to my knowledge, NO drug before has EVER been required a "public comment" period, and since it is the FDA's job to only consider medical and health safety issues, public sentiment that is NOT about those issues should have no bearing on their decisions.
Not only has the FDA yet AGAIN delayed a ruling on over-the-counter access for emergency contraception with a completely bogus excuse, they've made clear that they have NO plans to make it OTC for one of the groups which need it over the counter the most: young adult women.
From National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy:
The National Organization for Women calls on women's health advocates to join in a National Day of Action on Tuesday, August 30, protesting the decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding emergency contraception (EC).
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