US abortion‑pill mail shipments spark legal battle in pro‑life states

A report by the Restoration of America Foundation alleges that more than 328,000 abortion pills have been mailed into states with near‑total abortion bans since June 2022, bypassing state "shield laws" that protect providers from prosecution. The organization claims the Comstock Act of 1873, which bans mailing abortion‑inducing substances, is being ignored, allowing the pills to reach recipients in states such as Texas, Ohio and others. The report also cites a separate study saying the abortion drug mifepristone is 22 times more dangerous than its label suggests, with about 11% of users experiencing severe complications. One plaintiff, Rosalie Markezich of Louisiana, says her boyfriend ordered pills online and coerced her into taking them, resulting in a lawsuit against the FDA. The piece urges the Biden administration to enforce the Comstock Act and halt mail‑order abortion.

The controversy follows the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, after which 13 states enacted near‑total bans and several more imposed heartbeat or telehealth restrictions. Pro‑life advocates argue that mail‑order abortion undermines state laws, while opponents cite women's health and autonomy.