Newsom says California will cut ties with Walgreens over abortion pill stance

Abigail Adcox

March 06, 04:41 PM March 06, 04:47 PM

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said California will no longer do "business" with Walgreens, days after the pharmaceutical chain announced it does not intend to dispense a major abortion medication in some states where the pills remain legal.

The Democratic governor, who has championed California as a sanctuary state for abortion, indicated California would be cutting ties with Walgreens and "any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk" in a tweet on Monday.

WALGREENS SAYS IT DOES NOT PLAN TO SELL ABORTION PILLS IN SOME STATES WHERE THEY'RE LEGAL

"California is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls," a spokesperson for the governor told the Washington Examiner in a statement.

It's not clear how Newsom plans to cease business with Walgreens.

Walgreens said last week that it does not plan to seek certification from the Food and Drug Administration to dispense mifepristone, the first of two abortion-inducing drugs used to terminate a pregnancy through 10 weeks, at its brick-and-mortar locations in several states where abortions and the abortion medication remain legal, including Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Montana, due to a shifting legal landscape.

It follows over 20 Republican attorneys general threatening legal action against the company if it proceeded with dispensing the abortion medication in their state.

The FDA announced earlier this year that retail pharmacies could become certified to offer abortion medication to patients who have received a prescription from a qualified health provider.