By AP/KWMU
Springfield, ILL – An Illinois lawmaker wants to make the "morning after" contraceptive pill available without a prescription.
State Representative Sara Feigenholtz says the pill must be taken within 72 hours after intercourse to prevent pregnancy, but it's sometimes hard to get a prescription that quickly, so she wants pharmacies to sell the drug.
Opponents say the drug sometimes stops fertilized eggs from developing, which they consider to be abortion.
State Representative Ron Stephens is a pharmacist. He says emergency contraception should only be prescribed by doctors.
Under the proposal, pharmacists would be trained on how to dispense the pills and would be required to hand out fact sheets about them.
Five states already allow sales without a prescription.