State CRACKS DOWN — Abortion Pill Dealers Targeted

Open pill bottle with white tablets spilled out

Louisiana’s new abortion laws empower families to sue abortion drug providers for damages starting at $100,000, marking one of the nation’s strictest reproductive rights crackdowns.

Key Takeaways

  • The Justice for Victims of Abortion Drug Dealers Act allows mothers, fathers, grandparents, and legal guardians to sue anyone who provides abortion-inducing drugs
  • Louisiana has reclassified abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV controlled substances, making unauthorized possession a criminal offense
  • The Stop Coerced Abortion Act makes it illegal to pressure women into having abortions
  • These laws supplement Louisiana’s existing trigger law that bans abortion except when the mother’s life is at risk or the baby won’t survive after birth
  • The state has already attempted to extradite a New York doctor for mailing abortion pills to Louisiana residents

Louisiana’s Bold New Approach to Abortion Restrictions

Louisiana has established itself as a frontrunner in abortion restrictions with Governor Jeff Landry’s recent signing of two significant pieces of legislation. The Justice for Victims of Abortion Drug Dealers Act represents a novel approach to abortion restriction by creating civil liability for those who provide abortion-inducing medications. This law enables family members directly affected by an abortion to seek substantial financial compensation, establishing a powerful deterrent against those who would circumvent the state’s abortion ban by providing these medications through unauthorized channels.

“We thank Governor Landry for signing HB 575 into law, furthering his lifelong commitment of protecting life and helping moms. The reckless sale of abortion pills by out-of-state businesses has led to increased instances of women being coerced to have abortions. We look forward to HB 575 giving women hurt by abortion the opportunity to seek justice,” said Louisiana Right to Life Policy Director Erica Inzina.

The law specifically targets the underground market for abortion medications that has emerged since Louisiana’s trigger law went into effect following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. By classifying both mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances, Louisiana has created additional legal barriers to obtaining these medications without proper medical supervision. This classification aligns these drugs with other substances that require prescription and regulated distribution, effectively making their unauthorized possession a criminal offense.

Preventing Coercion and Enforcing Accountability

Complementing the Justice for Victims Act, Louisiana has also enacted the Stop Coerced Abortion Act. This legislation addresses a concerning reality that many abortion advocates prefer to ignore: women being pressured into terminating pregnancies against their true wishes. The law criminalizes tactics used to force women into abortions, such as threats, intimidation, or other forms of pressure. This protection acknowledges that many women who seek abortions do so under duress from partners, family members, or other influential figures in their lives.

Louisiana’s approach recognizes that true reproductive freedom includes the right to carry a pregnancy to term without coercion or pressure. The law establishes clear legal consequences for those who would attempt to force a woman to abort her child. The state has demonstrated its commitment to enforcing these protections by already attempting to extradite a New York doctor who allegedly mailed abortion pills to Louisiana residents in violation of state law, showing that geographic distance will not shield abortion providers from Louisiana’s legal reach.

Building on Existing Protections

These new laws build upon Louisiana’s existing abortion restrictions, which were triggered by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. The state’s baseline abortion ban includes limited exceptions for cases where the mother’s life is at risk or when the unborn child has a condition incompatible with life outside the womb. By adding civil liability and coercion protections, Louisiana has created a more comprehensive framework that addresses both direct and indirect channels through which abortions might occur despite the state’s prohibition.

Critics of these measures have attempted to frame them as part of a “war on women,” drawing parallels to drug prohibition policies. However, this characterization misses the fundamental purpose of these laws: protecting both unborn children from death and mothers from exploitation by an abortion industry that profits from terminating pregnancies while often minimizing risks and long-term consequences. The substantial civil penalties—starting at $100,000—reflect the gravity with which Louisiana views the unauthorized distribution of abortion-inducing drugs.

Setting a National Precedent

Louisiana’s innovative approach to abortion restrictions may serve as a model for other pro-life states seeking to close loopholes in their abortion laws. By creating civil liability with substantial monetary damages, the state has established a mechanism that may prove more effective than criminal penalties alone in deterring abortion providers from operating across state lines. The inclusion of fathers, grandparents, and guardians as potential plaintiffs acknowledges that abortion affects more than just the mother, recognizing the broader family impact of pregnancy termination.

As the post-Roe legal landscape continues to evolve, Louisiana’s comprehensive approach demonstrates how states can exercise their newly recognized authority to regulate abortion according to their citizens’ values. By addressing not only the direct provision of abortions but also the supply of abortion-inducing drugs and the problem of coercion, Louisiana has created one of the nation’s most thorough frameworks for protecting unborn life and supporting women through difficult pregnancies rather than eliminating their children.