South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Threatens Pharmacies Over Abortion Pill Distribution

Tierin-Rose Mandelburg | January 25, 2023
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On Tuesday, South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem released an open letter to South Dakota pharmacists warning South Dakotan pharmacists of “felony prosecution” regarding abortion pill distribution. Per usual, the left, who seems to love easy access to abortion, nearly crapped their pants on Twitter about the news. 

Earlier this month the Biden administration's Food and Drug Administration began permitting the distribution of risky medical abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) at retail pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. “Lethal poison,” as Live Action’s Lila Rose put it, will now be placed on shelves next to acne medication, antibiotics and allergy meds. 

While as of now a prescription order is necessary to obtain the abortion drugs, retail pharmacies will be ready - and expected - to pass out the pills like candy, a prescription for which a woman can get via a telehealth appointment with a doctor online, making it even easier to obtain the pills.

What makes this whole situation even worse is that according to the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, many pharmacists are unaware of the dangers of abortion pills. Here’s an excerpt from the National Review’s coverage on the study:

Considerably fewer than half knew about the dosage and administration of chemical-abortion drugs. Similarly, fewer than half knew about the FDA’s gestational-age limit for chemical abortions. Furthermore, many were unaware of common adverse effects related to chemical abortions, including vomiting, cramping, and bleeding.

It makes perfect sense why Noem is concerned for women who obtain abortion pills, especially considering the fact that oftentimes they’re handed the pills, the pharmacist can’t help answer any questions. 

Noem began her letter stating that abortion became illegal in South Dakota following Roe’s reversal. The only exceptions in the state are for when a mother’s life is at risk.

“In South Dakota, any person who administers, prescribes, or procures for any pregnant female any medicine or drug with the intent to induce an abortion is guilty of a felony,” Noem wrote. 

Related: FDA Permits Retail Pharmacies To Distribute Abortion Pills

She called it “side-stepping” by the FDA to permit “dangerous, at-home abortions without any medical oversight.” As a matter of fact, according to an ignored letter to the FDA back in 2022 by Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), along with 125 of their colleagues,  medical abortions are “four times more dangerous” than surgical abortions and have reportedly increased abortion-related ER visits by 500 percent from 2002-2015.

To take it a step further, Noem threatened to prosecute pharmacies that violate state law and distribute medication for abortions. 

Here are her final thoughts from the letter: 

Chemical abortions remain illegal in South Dakota. Under South Dakota law, pharmacies, including chain drug stores, are prohibited from procuring and dispensing abortion-inducing drugs with the intent to induce an abortion, and are subject to felony prosecution under South Dakota law, despite the recent FDA ruling. Their resources should be focused on helping mothers and their babies, both before birth and after.

All abortions, whether surgically or chemically induced, terminate the life of a living human being. South Dakota will continue to enforce all laws including those that respect and protect the lives of the unborn. We trust pharmacists doing business in this state will take the same approach to respecting life.

To nobody’s surprise, lefties online were pissed off at Noem. God forbid a governor suggest that her residents respect human life - or, at the very least, follow the law. 

A pro-abort Twitter page called “Abortion Access Front” tried making fun of Noem for threatening felony prosecution when abortion is already illegal in the state. They failed to realize, or I guess chose to ignore, that people break the law and need to be punished when they do so.

WOW, KRISTI. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem threatened felony prosecution for any pharmacist who dispenses medication abortion in the state - a state where abortion is already banned. BOLD MOVE 🙄 https://t.co/jAr9BGqhiL pic.twitter.com/sJqcDPD6eG

— Abortion Access Front (@AbortionFront) January 25, 2023

A researcher for the American Bridge claimed that Noem is simply forcing women to carry an “unwanted pregnancy to term.” Maybe don’t have sex if you don’t want to get pregnant. 

.@KristiNoem stopping at nothing until every woman in South Dakota is forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term https://t.co/0xVtcOcgBQ

— Julie Alderman Boudreau (@juliealdermanb) January 24, 2023

Meanwhile, Salon called Noem’s letter part of the “GOP’s nationwide assault on reproductive freedom.”

Because remember: we can only be truly “free” if we get to kill innocent babies…apparently.

Regardless of whatever names the left uses or jabs it attempts to make at the pro-life movement, bellyaching online isn’t going to change the fact that in some states, like Noem’s South Dakota, life is protected. Get over it.

Follow us on Twitter:

We caught up with some pro-abortion protestors during the March For Life.

To put it bluntly, they didn't send their best. pic.twitter.com/TOiQ8PPY1r

— MRCTV (@mrctv) January 23, 2023
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