Oct. 1 (UPI) — A Louisiana law that makes abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol “a controlled dangerous substance” took effect Tuesday.
The law — the first of its kind in the nation — requires the drugs, which in addition to being used as a cocktail for medical abortions are used for miscarriage management and to stop bleeding after childbirth, to be stored in a locked container like benzodiazepines such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan.
It also establishes penalties of up to five years in prison and a fine of as much as $5,000 for people who possess the pills without a valid prescription, with exceptions for pregnant women who have the drugs for their “own consumption.”
Dr. Jenifer Avengo, director of the New Orleans Health Department, noted to NBC News that Louisiana already bans abortion with rare exceptions, meaning that physicians could not prescribe misoprostol and mifepristone for abortions before the law went into effect.
The new law led to concerns that doctors could be limited in prescribing the drugs to treat other conditions.