Vending machine idea is shocking

I was shocked to read in a recent news story that a university in Pennsylvania is distributing the Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive -- also known as the "morning-after" pill -- in a vending machine, along with condoms, decongestants and pregnancy tests.

I read the story twice just to make sure I understood what it said, then I argued with myself over my own opinion of the distribution.

Is it a good thing the college women have a ready option to prevent an unwanted pregnancy?

My answer is no.

Have we, as young women, really have so little respect for ourselves that we have to resort to taking a last-minute pill to prevent a pregnancy on a regular basis?

Disrespect for ourselves, in my opinion, is really what it boils down to.

Also, vending machines aren't great at advising of possible side effects. As a matter of fact, I've never seen a vending machine that could talk.

Shouldn't young women be warned of what could happen if you stop by the vending machine once or twice a week?

Sure, there are warnings and directions in the box, but what woman on a college campus is going to stop and read directions? Especially when they are counting down the hours until Plan B becomes ineffective.

Most people don't even read the directions when putting a complicated new gadget together. Surely taking a pill isn't that complicated, right?

Pharmacists should be on hand when a woman is in that desperate of a situation.

The emergency contraceptive is a mega-dose of hormones, comparable to taking multiple birth control pills at once.

Birth control pills can be changed to fit each woman's body. Doctors work with their patients to see what kind of hormone levels work best for the woman's body.

The pill's marketing slogan says, "Because the unexpected happens."

There may be times where an accident happens, but I don't think enough to the point they should put it in a vending machine for $25.

Unfortunately, I believe many young women will use the emergency contraceptive as an excuse to disrespect their bodies, and not need to worry about protecting themselves.

Maybe if the emergency contraceptive was behind the counter at a pharmacy, college students would think twice about having to resort to the pill as a last-minute option.

I hate to think when a girl meets some guy at a party she thinks, "Well, I can just stop by the vending machine in the morning."

There is so much more to be worried about than just an unwanted pregnancy, especially when you don't consider all the possible negative effects.

Normally, Plan B is kept behind the pharmacy counter, and is only available to women over the age of 17 without a prescription.

The school argued they checked their records, and all students were at least 17-years-old.

Times have changed, and most women don't live by the same morals our parents and grandparents did. In fact, I've known some women that seem as though they have no morals at all.

Maybe this is just me growing up and seeing what poor decisions young women around me make, but I hope this doesn't become a trend on college campuses throughout the country.

Sabrina is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. She can be reached by email at swestfall@gcdailyworld.com or by telephone at 847-4487.