This is a reasonable man

No, really. He kinda looks like a vapid, insincere politician, but in fact he's pretty decent. He is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Interesting name, and interestingly independent views on drug use. No, not the fun drugs, the un-fun variety. In the US, due to fairly strong lobbying by the pharmisudical companies, foriegn made generic drugs aren't allowed in most states. No longer the case in Illinois. Blagojevich helped push for changes to U.S. laws that prohibit buying prescription drugs from Canada, where they are cheaper. Furthermore, he was the first governor to order Canadian drugs for state employees in 2004. These policies help to get life-saving drugs to those who most sorely need them, but cannot afford the exhorbident prices generally associated with them. Sounds good right? Well he's made another bold and much needed policy decision.

Blagojevich has signed an emergency order that requires all licensed pharmacies to fill birth control pill prescriptions regardless of an individual pharmacist's objection on moral grounds. The Associated Press reports the measure went into effect Friday in response to a February incident at a Chicago Osco drug store, where a woman complained that a pharamcist refused to fill her birth control pill presciption because of moral opposition. "Our regulation says that if a woman goes to a pharmacy with a prescription for birth control, the pharmacy or the pharmacist is not allowed to discriminate or to choose who he sells it to," the wire quotes Blagojevich as saying. "No delays. No hassles. No lectures."

Bang on. It's not the pharmicist's job to play moral guide to anyone. The fact that the birth control pill requires a perscription is dubious in my mind, but because that is the case, the woman has likely already gotten about as much lecturing as she can take. Good for Rod for taking out unessicary obstructions to a woman's choice. In Rod we trust.