Sure. Why not? They’re going to do it anyway.
I’d also advocate they also use the ol’ COTT method: cum on the tits.
There is a generic of the original two step Plan B. It’s called Next Choice, but I haven’t found a price. Generally speaking, generics are anywhere from 20-70% of the cost of the brand name.
There is no generic for the one step Plan B formula. They’ve got the patent until July of 2012, I believe.
Assuming this happens at my local pharmacy, and that I have some time to spare:
Condoms:“Kid, they have condoms next door in the grocery store, down the street at the gas station and they hand them out for free upstairs at the doctors office - no really, I’ll show you, they have a big basket out, you don’t have to ask for them. Yes, the same brand they sell here.”
Plan B: “Kid, they have that stuff at the six other pharmacies withing walking distance. Tell you what, let’s walk over to the subway, I’ll show you the one downtown that’s open all night, so you know where to go if you need another one at a bad time.”
Really, condoms and plan B are really easy to get here. No prescription, no age limit, no nothing (although I assume the pharmacist would ask some questions if an actual child came in to buy them. I don’t think they would be able to refuse, though.)
I got Plan B for my friend once because it was like $70 and I had insurance and she didn’t, and it took a while having to answer all these questions from the pharmacist about my cycles, when I had unprotected sex, a few medical questions, etc. You didn’t just walk up to the counter and buy it. As I understand it, it was actually a prescription, but the pharmacist was authorized to prescribe it. I don’t know if that’s still the case since this happened several years ago, but if it is, I’d be annoyed to go through that hassle for some stranger.
Hmm…maybe I’d just pocket her cash and then use my insurance to get it. Then it’d be worth the trouble.
I would buy either for anyone. I would encourage the Plan B users to go to Planned Parenthood, and even offer to help them do so, but I would get them the stuff they needed regardless. I have been young and in need of that kind of help; I couldn’t turn my back.
If people need contraceptives, I’ll help. Period.
I’m curious why you have stronger feelings about the Plan B. vs. the condoms. Are you against contraceptives in general? Do you think Plan B. is worse for some reason? Or is just the cost?
To answer the OP, I’d do either in a heartbeat. And looking at many of the responses in this thread, I’m proud to be a Doper right now.
Now that’s really interesting; I’ve always suspected that regular birth control pills should be able to do the job, depending on dosage. Neat info!
If someone I knew asked about Plan B, I’d help them, but I’d really, really want them to just get on normal birth control. I have women at work whose daughters <plural; not just a one-off case> think it’s less harmful to just use Plan B whenever having sex than to use birth control regularly. For all I know, they may be right, but it’s not a healthy attitude and I wish they’d just learn to take more responsibility for their sex lives than “Oh, a pill will fix it”. :smack: That might just be me, though.
The condoms are a ‘duh’; there are no health implications <beyond thinking just condoms are foolproof>, so not much to think about beyond thinking <or saying> “Good man” and helping him out.
:eek: That’s nuts. Not only is Plan B expensive but it’s a super dose of hormonal birth control and that leads to nasty side-effects much worse than the pill. I guess if they are only having sex once a year or something that could be a good option but…
None. Not my kid.
Hell yeah I’d buy them. Either of them. Regardless of age. However, I would make sure to mention that A) the girl should get on monthly birth control, and B) that condoms are available for free at Planned Parenthood.
Actually, for the Plan B, I get it on a regular basis when I get refills on my BC prescription, so depending on the day, I may or may not have it on me. I rarely use it, so they’d probably make better use of it than I would. (I’d have to check the expiration date first, though.)
This pretty much sums up my reaction as well. I’d be especially wary for the Plan B–lying about prescription strength medication isn’t a good idea.
Forgive the personal question but…why are you regularly buying Plan B if you’re on prescription birth control? Are you buying it to give away?
I would buy the condoms and not have any problems with that (though I would be surprised that the person was happy to talk to a stranger about it in the street and too embarrassed to ask the person at the counter).
The Plan B, no. Not because of any moral issues, but simply because I understand the pharmacist needs to ask some questions to determine the girl doesn’t have any medical issues or other prescriptions that might make it unsafe. Also she should be prepared for likely side effects. I would probably be willing to speak to the pharmacist with her, or put her in touch with the family planning clinic.
I initially said I’d buy both, but the people who raise concerns about Plan B as a medicine which might have side effects or drug interactions make a good point. So I’d revise my offer of help to buying the condoms and standing by as moral support if s/he wants the pills.
I’d buy condoms for anyone. I’d probably buy Plan B provided at least one of the participants appeared intelligent enough to follow the directions properly, or I had an opportunity to explain it to him/her.
I took my son and his gf to buy Plan B when they had a condom malfunction and they were just slightly too young to buy it themselves. But I made them pay me for it, and they had to go into the pharmacy with me. (My son sure was comfortable sharing information with his mother.)
Condoms? No problem. I will buy them, give a ride to a clinic, whatever.
Plan B, I don’t know enough about and it is a medication. I am a nurse, in theory telling someone to take an aspirin is considered “prescribing without a license” which is a huge no-no. There could be allergic reactions, etc. I would never just buy it for a boy, but I would talk to the girl and maybe give her a ride to another pharmacy or the health unit or something.
It is definitely not a moral stance against plan B but it is a stance that I do not offer or buy medication for other people’s children. I would help, but not so far as to give anyone any kind pill. Even in my own life with friends, i will say things like “oh some people find that anti inflammatories like Advil really help with muscle pain.” rather than offering someone an Advil.
Condoms, no problem. Though in further thought I might suggest that there are places other than a pharmacy to get them, so that they have options for the future that aren’t relying on a stranger helping them out.
Plan B - I would also be concerned about obtaining medication without being able to properly understand whether it’s suitable for the person taking it. If I had time I might offer to drive the girl to another pharmacy to get it. I don’t think I would help the boy get it without the girl being present, otherwise I have no idea whether she’s 17, and whether or not she’s a willing party to the Plan B.
I’d buy either for them, and I have. I had a pharmacist I worked with who refused to sell plan B to a girl once, so I bought it for her myself. To me there is no justification for imposing your own feelings on the subject of contraception on a girl and potentially punishing her for the next 18 years for it. Maybe the condom failed, you don’t know.
And for the record, the 17 age limit on Plan B is purely political. There is no medical reason for that to be the threshold of administration, and the pharmacist does not have to counsel the patient on usage (YMMV based on your state of residence).
If I was able to be impregnated, I would also get it and carry it with me on a regular basis [when I was traveling] because shit happens, and I got pregnant 3 times on birth control.
If I was an indian , my 3 kids would have been named Ortho Novum Don’t Work, Ortho Novum Don’t Work, Condom Broke and You have got to be fucking with me, I had my tubes tied 10 years ago … and before you get stupid, yes I was using birth control correctly all 3 times [how does one use a tubal incorrectly:confused:]