OLYMPIA, Washington, June 23, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The owners of a popular grocery store have refused to stock abortifacient Plan B medication, triggering threats of a month-long boycott by women’s rights activists.Posted on 06/23/2006 1:43:12 PM PDT by NYer
OLYMPIA, Washington, June 23, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The owners of a popular grocery store have refused to stock abortifacient Plan B medication, triggering threats of a month-long boycott by women’s rights activists.
Kevin Stormans, co-owner of Ralph’s Thriftway, said the store pharmacy would not carry Plan B medication because of moral concerns over the drug, the Olympian reported on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to get into a detailed debate. I just think people have to choose when they believe life begins,” Mr. Stormans told the Olympian. “There are questions about this drug on that issue.”
Widely touted as an “emergency contraceptive” by advocates, in fact the drug also acts as an abortifacient by preventing a human embryo in the earliest stages of development from implanting on the wall of the uterus. The child dies as a result.
Resident Janet Blanding, who initiated organization of the boycott, told the Olympian, “This is a very liberal community. I think enough people care enough about women’s rights to boycott a store that is doing something like this.”
The activists said they plan to hold two-hour protests with pickets beginning June 28, continuing for three days, and then begin the boycott July 1.
Kevin Stormans said the protests may hurt his business, but he will not change his position on the issue regardless.
“Obviously it’s not something we would like to have happen. But it’s not going to change our position. We’ve made our decision, and it’s what we have determined. It’s not a negotiable issue,” he said.
“They certainly may have an effect on our business. If that happens, that’s OK. People can make their choice. We’ve made our choice.”
Under state law, pharmacists are not required to stock all available drugs, according to the state Pharmacy Board. Individual pharmacists are free to decide what medications to keep in stock, based on the needs of local patients.
Plan B is stocked by at least five other stores in town, according to Stormans, who said his pharmacists refer requests for the drug to one of the locations that carry it. Planned Parenthood’s downtown clinic also dispenses the medication on weekdays. Public affairs coordinator for South Sound Planned Parenthood, Jennifer Allen, said access is not the only issue.
“Many women are feeling intimidated when they ask for emergency contraception, so being turned away or being told to go someplace else can further traumatize someone,” she said.
The Board of Pharmacy is set to decide on a draft rule in August that would ensure individual pharmacists remain free to refuse to provide medication for reasons of conscience, so long as they refer requests to another pharmacist.
State Governor Chris Gregoire opposes the rule and has threatened she will replace board members if they approve it.
To express support to Stormans, Inc.:
Phone: 360-754-2203
Email: kevin@stormans.com
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
US Pharmacists Battle over Forced Dispensation of Abortion Drugs
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05041504.html
Abortion-Causing Drugs Must be offered by Pharmacies – US Federal Law Proposes
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05041501.html
The store has the right to not carry the stuff. Customers have the right to shop elsewhere in protest. The American way wins.
“Many women are feeling intimidated when they ask for emergency contraception, so being turned away or being told to go someplace else can further traumatize someone,” she said.
Anyone worrying about the trauma to the baby?
"Many women are feeling intimidated when they ask for emergency contraception..."
OK, you know that Thriftway doesn't carry it, so don't go there and traumatize yourself. Better yet, use pre-conception contraceptives.
Who would have thought pharmacy was going to be made an immoral business by government fiat in more and more places? Sounds like the governor here would like Washington to join that number...
Aw-w-w-w just tell them you're afraid some nice Muslim baby will be aborted and they'll back off.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
FREEPER ACTIVISM
EMAIL news@theolympian.com
Boycott brews over grocer's Plan B stand
By BRAD SHANNON, The Olympian
Brad Shannon in The Olympian reports that Ralph's Thriftway, which has a pharmacy in its east-side location, says flatly they won't stock the Plan B morning-after pill on moral grounds. Mr Shannon reports: "I don't want to get into a detailed debate,"one of the co-owners of Ralph's and Bayview Thriftways, Kevin Stormans, said in an interview Tuesday. "I just think people have to choose when they believe life begins. There are questions about this drug on that issue." --SNIP--
FULL STORY http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:8AWBzZ4nuLsJ:www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20060621/NEWS/606210310
To express support to Stormans, Inc.:
Phone: 360-754-2203
Email: kevin@stormans.com
activism alert
I hope it will turn out to be like the NOW boycott of Florida Orange juice several years ago. The sales of OJ went through the roof!
Looks good - and there's contact info to support the good guys.
If I lived in Washington, I'd do *ALL* my shopping at Ralph's Thriftway --- even if I had to drive an hour and a half to get there.
They're not trained that way by the public skrool system, PP-hood, NOW, NARAL, and the democrap party. Entitlement mentality filters down to meism, only meism.
Blanding also said she plans to file a complaint with the Washington State Board of Pharmacy, which regulates pharmacies and pharmacists in the state.
She said she believes Ralph's policy violates state law, which says that a "pharmacy must maintain at all times a representative assortment of drugs in order to meet the pharmaceutical needs of its patients."
"I think we will see hundreds of people and have quite an impact," Linda Malanchuk-Finnan, president of the South Sound chapter of National Organization of Women, said of the boycott, which NOW supports.
"I think people are shocked to find that (emergency contraception) is something they don't have and don't carry. I think people will be quite shocked. I'd like to see them continue to be the good community partner we thought they were in the past."
******
The issue over stocking Plan B is an outgrowth of another debate already raging at the Board of Pharmacy.
A draft rule goes before the board Aug. 31 that could let individual pharmacists refuse to provide a medication - such as Plan B - for reasons of conscience, but only if they made sure another pharmacist could fill it.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has said she might introduce her own rule for consideration and the pro-choice Democrat has warned that she might appoint new members to the pharmacy board next year if the board approves a rule interfering with consumer access to medications.
SINCE WHEN IS IT THE GOVERNOR'S BUSINESS WHAT A STORE CARRIES?!!! Get your nose out of the PRIVATE BUSINESS!!!
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