Plan B Pills Still Legal in Tennessee and Missouri, Contrary to Social Media Claims
Facts And Fact Checking,Birth Control
Proposed legislation in Tennessee and Missouri would not regulate Plan B contraception pills, and experts say state “trigger laws” that would take effect if Roe v. Wade were overturned will not ban methods of birth control. But social media posts falsely claim that both states have banned Plan B – the morning-after pill.
A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion published on May 2 by Politico indicated that the court could vote to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling establishing a constitutional right to an abortion. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the leak but said the draft ruling does not represent the court’s final decision.
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the document. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
As we wrote, jurisdiction would then go back to the states, likely setting up a patchwork of abortion restrictions and rights across the country.
Meanwhile, the leaked court opinion has sparked misleading interpretations and false claims, including concerns over what “trigger laws” surrounding abortion will entail in several states. A “trigger law” refers to legislation that exists but cannot be enforced unless specific circumstances are met or changed.
