[Peace-discuss] Add your name to EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION petition?

[Brooke Anderson]

Dear friends,

I am writing to ask for your support in passing Illinois House Bill 
6577 which would allow a pharmacist to dispense EMERGENCY 
CONTRACEPTION (EC) without a prescription.  Here is what you can do 
to help:

1. ALLOW US TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE PETITION:

If you support increased access to EC, allow us to add your name to 
the petition, by replying to this email (emailing brooke at shout.net) 
with the following information:

    ___ Add me to the petition in support of HB 6577
    Name:
    Address:
    Phone:
    Email:

The text of the petition (to see what you're signing on to!) is 
pasted at the end of this email.

2. DISTRIBUTE PETITION AMONG YOUR FRIENDS & COLLEAGUES:

In addition to adding your name to the petition, please also consider 
volunteering to distribute the petition among your friends and 
colleagues. If you intend to collect signatures, please let me know 
(email brooke at shout.net) so that I can get you a copy of the petition 
and we can get back in touch with you about when we'll need the 
completed petitions back.

Thanks so much for your continued support! For more information, or 
to volunteer, email me at brooke at shout.net or call (217) 352-6533, 
ext. 17.

Sincerely,
Brooke Anderson

---------------

p.s. -- here is the text of the petition:

Dear legislators,

We, the undersigned, encourage you to vote YES for IL HB 6577 in 
support of greater access to emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception (EC) is a safe, effective back-up birth 
control method that can prevent pregnancy after unprotected 
intercourse or if contraception fails. EC can reduce the risk of 
pregnancy by up to 89% if taken within days of unprotected sex. EC is 
not medical abortion. EC helps to prevent pregnancy, and does not 
work if a woman is already pregnant. Greater access to emergency 
contraception could drastically reduce unintended pregnancies and 
abortions. However, women are often unable to get emergency 
contraception because of the expense and difficulty of scheduling an 
appointment with their physician. Making EC available through 
pharmacist consultation would greatly increase women's access to 
emergency contraception. Please support HB 6577 allowing pharmacists 
to dispense emergency contraception without a prescription, but with 
safeguards to ensure that EC is dispensed safely and appropriately.

Sincerely,

-- 
**************************************
Brooke Anderson
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
44 E. Main St., Suite 208
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone = (217) 352-6533, x 17
Fax = (217) 352-9745
Email = brooke at shout.net
**************************************