Louisiana may add two drugs that cause a medication abortion to the state’s list of controlled and dangerous substances, according to a report from NPR.
Mifepristone and misoprostol are two drugs that are used when a woman has a medication abortion, also known as a chemical abortion, in the early weeks of pregnancy. The former stops the unborn baby from growing while the latter expels the baby from the woman’s body. In recent years, pro-abortion advocates have pushed for telemedicine medication abortions, where a woman receives the pills through the mail and does not need to see a doctor before terminating her pregnancy.
A bill moving through Louisiana’s legislature would classify both drugs as Schedule IV drugs under the state’s Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law, creating penalties of up to 10 years in prison for anyone caught with the drugs without a valid prescription.
"It's not surprising that states are trying everything they can to try to restrict these drugs," Dr. Daniel Grossman, a pro-abortion OB-GYN and researcher at the University of California San Francisco told the outlet. "But this is certainly a novel approach."
"It's just really jaw-dropping," Dr. Nicole Freehill, a New Orleans OB-GYN added. "Almost a day doesn't go by that I don't utilize one or both of these medications."
Sarah Zagorski, communications director of Louisiana Right to Life, told the outlet, "We've had pregnancy centers email us with many stories of minors getting access to this medication."
In addition, the bill will punish individuals who poison a pregnant woman with abortion drugs without her consent.
Reportedly, the legislation was instigated after Republican state Sen. Thomas Pressly’s sister, Catherine Herring, testified during a hearing that she was once given abortion pills without her knowledge by her former husband. Townhall covered how Mason Herring, an attorney in Houston, Texas, took a plea deal after he was accused of placing an abortion-inducing drug in Catherine Herring's water in 2022. The attorney would serve 180 days in jail and 10 years probation for trying to kill his unborn child.
"There was no ‘choice’ involved when my husband slipped abortion drugs into my drinks seven times. I suffered serious side effects from the drugs. I believe my daughter’s life would have ended if I had not taken abortion pill reversal doses of progesterone. As a survivor of domestic violence, I’m grateful for Louisiana’s willingness to protect women and children from those who intend to harm them with abortion drugs," Catherine Herring said in a statement.
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"By placing these drugs on the controlled substance list, we will assist law enforcement in protecting vulnerable women and unborn babies," Sen. Pressly, who authored the bill, explained.
Louisiana has worked in recent years to instill pro-life laws, which Townhall has covered. The state’s former governor, John Bel Edwards, was a pro-life Democrat. Sen. Katrina Jackson, a Democrat, is also pro-life.
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