Yeah, yeah, sure, teens are going to drink on prom night no matter what we do, so let's provide designated drivers for them, even if that might send the signal that we're condoing teen drinking. And they're going to have sex no matter what we do, so let's pass out condoms in high school, even if that might say to teen boys that we're giving our approval for them to put even more pressure on teen girls to sleep with them.
But honestly, haven't we taken the "kids are going to do it anyway so let's make sure they're safe" argument to the creepiest extreme possible? (Link fixed)
The U.S. Justice Department filed a notice of appeal Wednesday over a federal judge's ruling that directed the Food and Drug Administration to make the morning-after birth control pill available to females of all ages without a prescription.
The government also filed a motion for a temporary stay of the FDA's approval on Tuesday of the availability of the Plan B One-Step emergency contraception pill without a prescription for ages 15 and older.
In April, U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ordered the FDA to make emergency contraception, namely the morning-after pill, available to females of any age, without a prescription. This week's FDA announcement, which pertains to an application from Teva Women's Health, Inc., is not related to that, the FDA said.
Even so, the federal government said in its motion that the FDA's approval makes the emergency contraceptive available "without significant point-of-sale restrictions."
On second thought, letting them get abortions without parental notification is higher on the creepy scale, but this is a logical extension of that lunacy.
Naturally, Planned Parenthood is all over this:
"Studies show that emergency contraception is a safe and effective form of birth control that can prevent pregnancy if taken within five days of unprotected sex, and research also shows that teens are as likely as adults to use emergency contraception correctly," said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
"Age barriers to emergency contraception are not supported by science, and they should be eliminated."
"Age barriers to emergency contraceptioon." What dry, polite languate for such an irresponsible, and dare we say it, immoral policy.
It's wonderful to see, however, that we're finally getting into the serious debate we need to have about how we can allow 15-year-olds to enjoy the benefits and privileges of mature womanhood without encouraging dangerous behavior among all immature 14-year-olds.
Not to belabor the obvious, but there is a legal line drawn between childhood and adulthood, with different sets of rights and privileges for each, for a reason. Children do not have the judgment required for responsibile decisions. Requiring a prescription means there will be adult involvement.
The rest of you can have polite debates about all this. But I think the people pushing for it are pretty close to monsters.
