California Gov Hints State Will Sever Ties With IL-Based Walgreens

DEERFIELD, IL — Following last week's decision by Walgreens to not sell abortion pills in 20 states, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday in a social media post the state will no longer be doing business with the Deerfield-based pharmacy giant. Newsom said the state "won't be doing business with Walgreens or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk."

Last week, following legal threats from the attorney generals of 20 states where restrictions are currently in place on the sale of abortion pills, Walgreens said it will not sell abortion pills, specifically mifepristone, in its stores or by mail in those states. The move comes just two months after the company announced its plans to become the first major U.S. pharmacy to sell mifepristone.

RELATED: Walgreens Will Not Sell Abortion Pill By Mail In 20 States

On Monday, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), the parent company of Walgreens, released an updated statement on the decision:

"We want to be very clear about what our position has always been: Walgreens plans to dispense Mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so. Once we are certified by the FDA, we will dispense this medication consistent with federal and state laws. Providing legally approved medications to patients is what pharmacies do, and is rooted in our commitment to the communities in which we operate."

Patch has reached out to WBA regarding Newsom's social media post.

A spokesperson for Newsom told NPR that "all relationships between Walgreens and the state" are under review, but did not reference any timeline. Walgreens shares fell 1.77 percent on Monday, according to Yahoo Finance.

California currently has 569 Walgreens stores, which is about 6 percent of the total number of Walgreens stores in the country, according to data company Scrape Hero. That is the third most behind Florida and Texas. Illinois is close behind in fourth with 563 stores.

A letter, penned by Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and dated Feb. 1, was sent to Walgreens and several other major U.S. pharmacies intending to sell mifepristone. The letter warns that the sale of abortion pills would violate federal law and abortion laws in many states. It was co-signed by attorneys general in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

"I can confirm we have responded to the state attorneys general letter to Walgreens dated Feb. 1 by indicating we will not dispense Mifepristone in their respective states," Marty Maloney, senior manager of media relations for parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance, told Patch last week. "We are not distributing Mifepristone at this time. We intend to be a certified pharmacy and will distribute Mifepristone only in those jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally feasible.

In January, the Food and Drug Administration finalized a rule change that makes abortion pills available to more pharmacies if they complete a certification process. Walgreens, along with CVS, had planned to sell mifepristone across the country after the rule change was announced.

“My office has advocated historically to ensure that Walgreens and other pharmacies dispense proven-safe medications for abortions," Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Friday. "I understand that the legal landscape around abortion is uncertain and shifting every day. In fact, some states have laws on the books, have proposed legislation or pending litigation that create challenges for expanding medication abortion access."

RELATED:

• Illinois AG Raoul, Others Sue FDA Over Safety Of Abortion Medication
• FDA Makes It Easier To Get Abortion Pills, Including In Illinois