Arkansas’ attorney general is calling on providers of contraceptive pills to stop advertising in the state. Tim Griffin sent cease-and-desist letters yesterday to two companies that provide access to medication abortion — one based in New York and one based in the Netherlands. Griffin says advertising from the two companies violates the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. He said if they do not comply, he will take action and seek civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. All forms of abortion are illegal in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother.
Rebecca Bobrow, director of strategy for the ballot question committee supporting the Arkansas Abortion Amendment, said, "The attorney general’s announcement makes it even more critical that their amendment gets on the ballot this November. She says the state government is working every angle at its disposal to ensure that Arkansas women in need of abortion care have no options for accessing it. Every Arkansan who is angry about or even slightly skeptical of the attorney general’s threat to out-of-state clinics should sign the petition to get the amendment on November’s ballot.”