Health

College students advocate for Plan B emergency contraception in vending machines post-Roe v. Wade

Published August 10, 2022 at 12:25 PM CDT

Cartons of the "morning-after" pill fill a Plan-B vending machine that sits in the basement of the student union building on the Boston University Campus in Boston, Massachusetts on July 26, 2022. - Each carton contains a single pill and cost $7.25 US and is available at all times to students. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

College campuses around the country are adding a new selection to their vending machines: Along with Dorritos and Twix bars, students are pushing for (and getting) Plan B emergency contraceptive pills.

Used within 72 hours of unprotected sex, the pills can prevent ovulation and egg fertilization, preventing pregnancy. A handful of colleges unveiled these vending machines in recent years, but with the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade, the demand has become widespread.

Alexandra Nieto, a senior at Boston’s Northeastern University, is a member of the school’s Sexual Health Advocacy, Resources and Education group and has been at the forefront of that campus’ push. She joins Here & Now‘s Robin Young to talk about why her group is advocating for the machines.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.