Oregonians will be able to buy birth control at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription beginning next year, potentially making the state the first in the nation to allow the practice.
The bill was overwhelmingly approved in the state House and Senate and was signed by Gov. Kate Brown last week. It will go into effect at the start of next year.
"It makes no sense that men should have unrestricted access to contraceptives, while women must first get a prescription from their physician," said Republican state Rep. Knute Buehler, an orthopedic surgeon who introduced the bill.