As the age of teen pregnancy continues to drop lower and lower, so will the age requirement to obtain Plan B pills. A judge recently granted the Food and Drug Administration authority to allow 17-year-olds to purchase the emergency contraceptive without a prescription. Before Monday, 18 was the minimum age permitted to buy the contraception, which is available at many local drug stores, licensed pharmacies and health centers.
Plan B is a preventive drug should be taken 24 hours after sexual intercourse for maximum effectiveness and will not work if the woman is already pregnant. Many hope that this change will serve as a catalyst to help reduce teen pregnancy.
Do you think young teenagers should be able to get birth control without a parent or guardian’s consent? Do you agree with the recent age decrease? Does it encourage teens to have sex? Tell us what you think.