Recently, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lift the age restrictions on the emergency contraception pill, Plan B One-Step, otherwise known as the “morning-after pill.” This commonly used form of birth control prevents pregnancy up to 120 hours or 5 days, after unprotected sex or sex where the method of birth control failed. Previously, the drug could only be obtained over the counter by anyone 17 or older, which meant girls 16 or younger needed a prescription. Now, anyone can get it without a prescription.

Making Plan B One-Step readily available to everyone is just common sense. There are girls under 17 who are sexually active. Why should their access to emergency contraception be restricted? Having Plan B One-Step available over the counter to all teens will help decrease the rate of teen pregnancy.

Without the roadblocks of having to see a doctor or visit a clinic first to get a prescription, teens will now be able to access Plan B One-Step more easily. Even though this change doesn’t directly affect me, since I’m older than 16, it makes me happy to know that teens are being given more power to protect themselves from unplanned pregnancies and to make decisions about their own bodies.