California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his administration "won't be doing business" with Walgreens Pharmaceuticals following its decision not to dispense abortion pills in 20 states. Newsom pointed out that this initiative is a show of cowardice in the face of "extremists" and that it puts women's lives at risk.
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
"We're done," ended the tweet with which the leader made his decision public. Although the governor's office declined to elaborate, a Newsom spokesperson assured that all commercial agreements with the pharmaceutical company will be carefully studied.
Walgreens laments the "legal uncertainty"
Walgreens signaled last week that it would stop dispensing abortion pills in 20 states whose attorney generals have warned them not to do so. Since the Supreme Court ruling that abortion is not a constitutional right, states of both political leanings have rushed to enact laws to guarantee or prohibit it. Many of these laws are now in the courts, causing great legal uncertainty.
However, on March 6, the company issued a new statement indicating its intention to "dispense Mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permitted to do so." This contradicts its previous statements, since among the states in which it had announced this product would not be available are Kansas, Alaska, Iowa and Montana, where its sale is currently permitted.
