Pro-Abortion Shield Laws May Violate U.S. Constitution, Undermine State Laws: A.G. Letter

Abortion, , ,

On Tuesday, Attorney General Tim Griffin issued four cease-and-desist letters to companies responsible for marketing abortion pills to Arkansans and sent a letter to Washington urging congressional leaders to consider measures to help states enforce their pro-life laws.

Arkansas generally prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother, and state law prohibits abortion drugs from being delivered or distributed in the state. However, pro-abortion states are enacting “shield laws” to protect abortionists who ship abortion drugs across the country. Attorney General Griffin says entities in these states are deliberately targeting women in Arkansas and elsewhere.

Family Council previously reported how Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said his office is leading a letter along with 15 other state attorneys general asking congress to address these pro-abortion “shield laws.” Below is a little more information about the letter itself — and what congress might do to address these pro-abortion laws.

The A.G.’s letter to leaders in the U.S. House and Senate outlines some of the legal problems with these pro-abortion “shield laws.”

For example, the letter argues that “shield laws” violate the U.S. Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause, because they fail to give full faith and credit to state laws prohibiting mail-order abortion drugs. The letter says,

When New York or California refuses to respect a criminal prosecution or a civil judgment against an individual who is accused of violating the abortion laws of another State, they are refusing to give full faith and credit to that State’s judicial proceedings.

The letter also argues that “shield laws” could violate the Extradition Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The letter urges congress to “assess whether it should tackle this issue head on with legislation that preempts state shield laws.”

Abortion drugs don’t just kill unborn children. They also hurt women. 

A recent study by the experts at the Ethics and Public Policy Center shows abortion drugs are at least 22 times more dangerous than previously thought.

The study found that from 2017 to 2023, nearly one in nine women suffered serious health complications like sepsis, infection, and hemorrhaging as a direct result of the abortion drugs.

We appreciate Attorney General Griffin’s leadership on this issue and his willingness to stand up for Arkansas’ pro-life values. Abortion drugs simply should not be for sale in America — and abortionists certainly should not be free to break Arkansas law by mailing them into the state.

You Can Read the A.G.’s letter to Congress Here.

You Can Click Here to Read The A.G.’s Cease-and-Desist Letters to Possibility Labs of San Francisco; Mayday Medicines Inc. of New York; Dreamscape International of Singapore; and Cloudflare of San Francisco.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Is Marriage Really Just a Piece of Paper?

Video

“Marriage is just a piece of paper. What difference does it really make if you stand up in front of a church or a justice of the peace if we really love each other?”

What would you say?

In recent decades, the marriage rate has plummeted, but at the same time, the rate of cohabitation—couples living together long-term without getting married—has spiked, and more Americans have cohabited at some point than have been married.

On the other hand, cohabitation is fundamentally different from marriage, and studies show it sets couples up for relationship failure.

READ MORE

Federal Agency Recommends Restricting Dangerous Drug Found in Kratom

Drugs,

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally recommended classifying a compound found in kratom as a controlled substance—a move that could help rein in this dangerous and addictive drug.

Kratom is often marketed as a dietary supplement, but its effects mimic opioids and can lead to addiction, seizures, and even death. The Mayo Clinic has called kratom “unsafe and ineffective,” writing,

Poison control centers in the United States received more than 3,400 reports about use of kratom from 2014 through 2019. These included reports of death. Side effects reported included high blood pressure, confusion and seizures.

The FDA’s new recommendation targets 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a powerful substance in kratom. If adopted, this change could make it illegal to possess, sell, or distribute 7-OH under federal law.

In a statement, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. said, “Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again. 7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”

The FDA says it is particularly concerned about 7-OH products that appeal to children and teenagers — including gummies and other candies.

In the past, federal public health officials have advised states to prohibit kratom, and Arkansas has done so. The Arkansas Department of Health has restricted 7-OH as a Schedule I substance.

Last April, lawmakers voted not to pass a bad bill that would have legalized kratom and 7-OH in Arkansas.

During his comments against the bill, Rep. Zack Gramlich (R — Fort Smith) described a seventh-grader who was caught using kratom and trying to sell it to other students at a school in his district a few years ago.

Kratom and 7-OH are dangerous drugs. We deeply appreciate our lawmakers and public health officials who have worked hard to protect people from it.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE