By now you all should have heard that the State of California will be cutting ties with Walgreens over their decision to not dispense an abortion pill even in states where folks still have the right to have an abortion because apparently some Republican men like to limit the size of government but not when it has to do with what a woman can do with her own body.
Newsom’s move also demonstrates his willingness to wield California’s financial might in an intensifying national battle over abortion access. The governor and legislative Democrats have already allocated hundreds of millions of dollars and enacted new laws to make California a sanctuary for abortion-seekers from other states.
“Ironically, we’re the size of 21 states’ populations combined,” Newsom said, referencing the 21 states where Walgreens has told GOP state officials that they do not plan to dispense the pills. “And likely, when the dust settles, we’ll be the fourth largest economy in the world. So, we have, we believe, moral authority, but we also have formal authority and will exercise it in partnership with the Legislature, and in the absence of that, through executive action.”
States have been on the frontlines of abortion policy struggles after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal right to the procedure. While California responded by aggressively expanding abortion access, Republican states have sharply restricted it.
So this is a reminder that we all have choices we can make where we’re electing to spend out dollars. And CVS is a solid alternative to Walgreens (located conveniently on Park Street, in Target, and at Marina Village although I heard that one may close). There is also Safeway for medication as well and, of course, your friendly local pharmacies like Versailles.
I mean, folks have been complaining about the rise of plexiglass at Walgreens and such so why bother with that anymore when you can just go some place that has no plexiglass AND doesn’t kowtow to Republican fundamentalists either. Win win.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
Totally agree. This is outrageous. Pulled a prescription from Walgreens yesterday and explained why.
(And BYW, CVS in Target has much better customer service as well as no Republican fundamentalist policies.)
Comment by egelblock — March 9, 2023 @ 7:07 am
Eh, I don’t trust either corporation. CVS has supported Republican fundamentalists as well: “Since 2020…CVS has donated $27,600 to legislators pushing abortion bans across the country, including 17 co-sponsors of 15-week abortion bans in Florida and Arizona, and 17 co-sponsors of 6-week abortion bans in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Idaho.” https://popular.info/p/these-six-corporations-are-financing-5af?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2FCVS&utm_medium=reader2
Comment by Kristen — March 9, 2023 @ 8:28 am
The Marina Village CVS closed in November. The CVS on Oak is awful so I had been going to the Walgreens instead. Guess I will be switching to Target.
Comment by trow125 — March 9, 2023 @ 8:04 am
I personally will continue shopping at Walgreens. The issue seems to be that Walgreen’s won’t distribute this drug directly to consumers in certain states where abortion is legal. But my understanding (am I wrong?) is that these states have other restrictions, like requirements that abortion be accessed only through medical providers, that would appear to make distribution directly to consumers illegal. I don’t see that it’s fair or productive to try to punish Walgreens – and indirectly, California consumers who rely on it – for not doing something that’s apparently illegal.
Comment by Anon — March 9, 2023 @ 8:31 am
Walgreens is following the law and will simply close stores and lay-off your neighbors. Newsom’s brand of faux politics and moral superiority is tiresome. California has now banned more than 25 states for policy disagreements even though state officials knew nothing would change.
That makes this another purely performative act like much of what passes for politics these days in California.
Comment by Common Sense — March 9, 2023 @ 10:42 am
If only there was a pill to abort annoying blog commenters!
Comment by Rod — March 9, 2023 @ 1:46 pm
Walgreen’s is damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Comment by Hey You! — March 9, 2023 @ 4:18 pm
In order to get clarity on Walgreens, I searched their name and “abortion pill” and embedded in the results was the following ad with a link to their site….
“Shop abortion pill at Walgreens. Find abortion pill coupons and weekly deals. Pickup & Same Day Delivery available on most store items.”
Comment by Chuckle — March 9, 2023 @ 7:51 pm
Hey, I applaud Newsom’s decision. It is somewhat political, but it is also what the majority of people want in California and the rest of the country for that matter according to ‘certain’ polls.
Comment by Gage — March 10, 2023 @ 12:12 pm