WILKES-BARRE – In a new battle over birth control, the FDA has ruled that women as young as 15 years old can now get Plan B or the morning after pill over the counter without a prescription.
The number of options for birth control has grown over the years. Now the FDA announced Plan B, or the morning after pill, will be available to girls as young as 15, no prescription or permission needed.
As the day ended at Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, parents waiting outside were upset about the news.
"It is a way for them to not involve their parents, and then their parents are out there thinking that they're OK, and they're absolutely not," said Darlene Sheridan of Wilkes-Barre.
Darlene said no 15-year-old girl should be having sex, and some students at Meyers High School agree.
"I think they will actually think it's OK to have sex because they're so young and they really don't know what's going on, and they think anything's alright nowadays and it's really not," said Corinne Babula, a junior at Meyers. "Wait until you're at least 17, almost 18."
But others said the pill is a good backup plan to have, no matter the age.
"They're not going to want to have a baby at that age, even if they do it or not," said Ashey Matias, a sophomore at Meyers.
"Would you rather have your child safe than later on be sorry and have a kid that they don't want?" said Destiny Luciano, a senior at Meyers.
The lower age limit from 17 to 15 applies only to the Plan B One Step brand. It falls short of a court order set to take effect Monday requiring all brands of the pill be available over the counter to all ages.