University of Florida Student Senate passes resolution for Plan B vending machines
The University of Florida students could soon have 24-hour access to the morning-after pill at a discounted rate.
At UF's Student Senate meeting at the Reitz Union Tuesday evening, the 69-member council approved a resolution to work with the school administration to provide the resource to students via vending machines.
The move is a response to growing concern over lawmakers advocating to limit contraceptives following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, a historic ruling that had long protected women's right to abortion.
"It should have happened in 2018. It didn't," said Joseph Andreoli, a student senator who helped drafted the resolution. "Now it has to happen because of Roe v. Wade being overturned and because of the governor signing that legislation that banned abortion after 15 weeks."
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The National Women Liberation Gainesville Chapter, a feminist organization that fights for women's rights, first campaigned to get the pill in vending machines on campus back in 2018.
"It feels a little bit surreal," Alia DeLong, a steering committee member of NWL, said after the vote. "I felt like there was a weight lifted off my shoulders like, 'Oh my god, we're finally gonna do this.' ... In this climate having a win, no matter how minor, is super important for morale and for movement building, and for getting people involved in feminist organizations."
The pill has an 87% success rate of preventing pregnancy if taken within 72 hours but is more effective when taken within 24 hours. For those reasons, NWL states that students need 24-hour access and need access to the pill after hours.
UF and Santa Fe students can already purchase the pill for $10 through the UF student pharmacy. The hours, however, are limited from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday and 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday during the fall/spring semester.
And during the summer hours, the student pharmacy is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays but closed Saturdays and Sundays.
Fiona Harris, a graduate student studying biology, said vending machine options would be appreciated due to the stigma that comes with visiting the UF pharmacy because of the packaging that the Planned B comes in. She added that the next best option is going to a local pharmacy, which costs about $50.
"It's like a giant walk of shame for anyone who has ever done (purchased the pill)," Harris said.
Rhiannon O'Donnell, a data science major, who spoke in favor of the change on campus, said she has had to buy the pill for friends before due to their lack of access.
"I've seen the lack of access to them both here in Gainesville and back in my hometown, where you have to go like sometimes up to like 20 to 30 miles to find one with the morning after pills in stock," she said.
O'Donnell said increased access would help many women and decrease the chance of someone deciding to have an abortion.
Though students hope to see the pills in vending machines as soon as possible, there are still several hurdles that stand in the way.
Andreoli said he still needs to meet with UF Business Services and the Student Healthcare Services offices to work out details.
Other student governments have used funds to create the vending of emergency contraception at institutions, according to a NWL press release, include Stanford University, the University of California at Davis and Santa Barbara, Pomona College, University of Kansas, University of Puget Sound, Boston University and Dartmouth University.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF could install vending machines selling morning-after pill
