What happens when plan A fails and there is no Plan B?

Hannah Baker

Hannah BakerNews Editor

During Hobo Week there were many fliers and posters hanging around campus informing students about activities they could participate in. One activity the Campus Women’s Coalition’s decided to address that others did not was about activities that tend to happen behind the scenes of Hobo Week, or often, between the sheets.

The fliers warned that during the 2009 Hobo Week, every pharmacy in Brookings ran out of the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill, so women should plan ahead as this could occur again.

“The fliers were not meant to place blame on any of the pharmacies in Brookings or to make them look ill-prepared,” said Molly Miles, president of the Campus Women’s Coalition. “They were meant to get people talking and to show that things like this can happen so women should plan ahead and get [Plan B] early.”

Ken Main, pharmacist at Lewis Drug in Brookings, said because of the shortage of Plan B during last year’s Hobo Week, Lewis Drug planned ahead and ordered more this year so they would not run out. Planning paid off, as their supply this year was adequate.

However, Main said all the blame should not be pinned entirely on Hobo Week for last year’s shortage.

“The product has only been around a few years so every year more and more people are becoming educated on Plan B, and that could be a reason for the higher rate of usage,” said Main. “Hobo Day was just one factor … there was also a full moon that night and love was in the air.”

Miles said women should not feel embarrassed about buying Plan B.

“Obviously, Plan B is a controversial topic, but women should not feel shame in buying Plan B,” Miles said. “Many women probably have at least one friend who has taken it, and it shouldn’t be something they should be ashamed to buy.”

Miles said The Campus Women’s Coalition does not believe that Plan B should be used as primary birth control, but they understand that at times other birth control methods fail. If this happens and students run into an instance where condoms or the birth control pill does not work, then they want them to know there is another option available.

“[Plan B] is not the abortion pill and it’s not dangerous. It doesn’t do anything if you’re already pregnant,” Miles said. “We want to inform women about Plan B to decrease unplanned pregnancies. We are pro-choice, not pro-abortion and this could help reduce the number of abortions.”

Tory Fleischhacker, junior pharmacy major, said although she does not think women should use Plan B as their only form of birth control, she thinks it is a necessary option.

“Since it’s so easy to get other forms of birth control for free at Family Planning at Student Health, I don’t think girls should be stocking up on it or plan to use it as their only form of birth control but I’m definitely for it. Stuff happens and it’s good the Campus Women’s Coalition is promoting awareness,” Fleischhacker said.

Some students around campus do not share the same views about Plan B.

“Taking Plan B is a way to avoid the consequences of having sex. Sex is supposed to be primarily for reproducing and something to save for marriage,” said Jordan Fenske, senior biology and pre-med major. “I believe upon fertilization, it has all the genetic material to become a person … at conception it’s a baby.”

#1.1731096:1516519858.png:Plan-B-2.png:Pharmacies in the area stocked up on the emergency contraception, Plan B, in preparation for the Hobo Day celebration last week. Last year pharmacies ran out of Plan B during Hobo Week.:Collegian Photo by Brigette Norby