Court showdown set over morning-after pill

The "morning after" contraceptive. / AP Photo

NEW YORK - A federal judge in Brooklyn is set to hear arguments over whether the federal government is acting constitutionally in its decisions over the access teenage girls should have to morning-after contraceptive pills.

Federal Judge Edward Korman will hear the arguments Tuesday afternoon, a week after the federal government announced that it would block the over-the-counter sale of the anti-pregnancy drug to sexually active girls under age 17.

Korman was highly critical of the government's handling of the issue when he ordered the Food and Drug Administration two years ago to let 17-year-olds obtain the medication.

At the time, he accused the government of letting "political considerations, delays and implausible justifications for decision-making" cloud the approval process.

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[rafaeldrc]

In the book FREAKONOMICS, it was strongly suggested that the decline of crime in NYC registered in the early 1990s was directly attributed to legislation legalizing abortion. The author alleged that since poor mothers had a choice whether to have a child or abort, many choosing to abort, that those children who would have been born in poverty with little choices but to survive as best they could, some choosing a life of crime, were never born.

This is not to suggest that all born in poverty are slated to be criminals but it is to say that measurable analysis has been done showing that careful consideration by a mother-to-be has a great impact on society.

Once a teenager becomes pregnant, the matter is out of the hands of parents and she becomes emancipated. Though the law may not see it this way, the fact remains.

It's a woman's choice to decide her destiny, not society and its moralistic superstitions extended to her womb.

[angelofurnightmare]

If they have access to the morning after then the rate of teens having babies will go down. No one wants to consider that their child is having sex but I would like to know mine is doing what she/he can to not mess up their whole life. And FYI a condom can break when in the hands of an inexperienced teen!