A new Oklahoma law that makes it a felony to traffic abortion-inducing drugs within the state took effect last week.

Key Takeaways:

• House Bill 1168 criminalizes the trafficking and distribution of abortion-inducing drugs within the state of Oklahoma.

• The bill went into effect August 13.

• The bill is meant to protect preborn children, as well as women who have been "coerced or deceived" into taking abortion drugs.

• Supporters estimate it could save the lives of 4,000 preborn human beings each year.

The Details:

House Bill 1168 makes it a crime to provide abortion-inducing drugs, such as the abortion pill, to anyone intending to use the drugs to commit an unlawful abortion. 

Anyone convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs now faces a fine of up to $100,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both.

The legislation was signed by Governor Kevin Stitt on May 5 and went into effect on August 13.

The new law was sponsored by Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, who said she "couldn't be prouder" the legislation was taking effect. She added:

"Four years ago, I set out to close the loophole that let traffickers ship dangerous chemical abortion pills into our state with no oversight and no accountability.

This law protects vulnerable women who have too often been coerced or deceived into taking these pills with no medical care or support. It's projected to save around four thousand preborn babies a year in Oklahoma, and every one of those lives matters.

I'm grateful to everyone who fought alongside us to get here." 

Why It Matters:

The legislation is designed to protect women and preborn babies from companies that unscrupulously mail abortion drugs to anyone who asks for them — even abusers and predatory men.

Live Action News has repeatedly reported on instances where men have ordered the abortion pill and then attempted to coerce or trick women into taking the pill. Some of those predators include:

• Jeffrey Smith — convicted of attempted first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child after he spiked a pregnant woman's water bottle with abortion drugs.

• David Benjamin Coot — pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, tampering with a witness, and fourth-degree assault for forcing an abortion drug into his mistress without her knowledge or consent.

• Justin Banta —  charged with capital murder for allegedly slipping his pregnant girlfriend abortion drugs, causing the death of their six-week-old preborn child.

• Mason Herring - pleaded guilty to injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person for attempting to induce an abortion by drugging his wife Catherine’s drink several times using misoprostol. 

These stories have become so numerous that in May, Heartbeat International launched a national tracker documenting reported abortion pill poisonings and forced/coerced abortions.

These types of abuses are possible because in 2021, the FDA under the Biden administration temporarily removed requirements that the abortion pill be dispensed in person by a physician who has first conducted a physical examination. Those changes became permanent in 2023.

Numerous companies now ship the abortion pill to anyone who requests it online — even into states like Oklahoma, which protects most preborn children from abortion.

The Bottom Line:

The new Oklahoma law is meant to further deter anyone from shipping the abortion pill into the state. As the bill's Senate sponsor, Sen. David Bullard, stated, "We estimate this law will save roughly four thousand preborn babies a year in Oklahoma. That’s four thousand reasons this fight was worth it, and I’m proud of every person who helped carry it across the finish line.”