California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is out to boycott Walgreens after reports that the pharmacy retailer plans to follow the law and not sell abortion drugs in states where the practice is prohibited.
Newsom made the remarks on Monday as part of his ongoing abortion activism in his state and beyond.
California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk.
We’re done.https://t.co/OB10cYfm8H
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 6, 2023
The remarks
“California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk,” Newsom wrote on Twitter. “We’re done.”
The tweet came after Walgreens released a statement with CNN that expressed its plans to sell mifepristone only in states where it was legally able to do so.
“We intend to be a certified pharmacy and will distribute Mifepristone only in those jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally feasible,” the company said in a statement.
Gavin Newsom Says California Will Boycott Walgreens Because It Won’t Sell Abortion Drugs in Pro-Life States https://t.co/An50q4vZl6 pic.twitter.com/J4FMVBOgtX
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) March 6, 2023
The changes
“In January, Walgreens, CVS and, later, RiteAid announced plans to begin selling abortion drugs that are used to kill unborn babies up to about 10 weeks of pregnancy,” according to Life News.
“Their decisions came after the Biden administration dropped safety regulations for the dangerous abortion drug mifepristone, which has been linked to the deaths of millions of babies and dozens of women. Previously, mifepristone only could be dispensed by FDA-approved abortion facilities, medical offices and hospitals under the direct supervision of a licensed physician,” the outlet added.
Walgreens said it won’t distribute abortion pills in states where Republican officials have threatened legal action — including some places where abortion is still legal and available. https://t.co/157REIH9eq
— NPR (@NPR) March 7, 2023
Court action possible
In response, attorneys general from 20 GOP-led states sent a letter calling on the pharmacy retailers to stop sales of abortion pills in their states, including some states where it is technically legal to do so.
The pharmacy chain is now caught in a situation where moving forward would lead to legal actions and not doing so is leading to backlash from Newsom and other abortion activists.
The company’s situation may end up in court regardless, with leaders from opposing sides seeking a clear resolution over the sales of abortion pills.
The latest concerns follow the Supreme Court’s decision last year to return abortion laws to the states with several states now choosing to increase abortion limitations.