Plan B: Now At a Drugstore Near You

Chalk it up to Thanksgiving excitement, but I missed the news last week that Plan B, aka the morning-after pill, has been shipped to pharmacies and is now available over the counter -- or should be -- nationwide. January W. Payne of the Washington Post surveyed local pharmacies to see who had it in stock and wrote a good Q&A about Plan B that includes a question I haven't seen mentioned before -- "Can a boyfriend, husband, family member or friend buy Plan B for me?" The answer:

Girls younger than 18 need a doctor's prescription. However, anyone 18 or older -- male or female -- can buy the OTC product. You may need to show identification to a pharmacist or clinic staff member to verify your age. Store personnel won't keep a record of your personal information.

Payne also answered questions about Plan B last week during an online chat. She tries hard to avoid the political issues surrounding Plan B, which was delayed for years over right-wing religious objections, but as you'll see it's hard to keep politics out of Plan B.

For more information, visit Planned Parenthood.