Florida’s six-week abortion ban comes into effect.
Florida has introduced a strict six-week abortion ban, replacing the earlier 15-week limit. This effectively shuts down abortion access in the entire US South. Anti-abortion campaigners view the new legislation as the gold standard in policymaking for limiting terminations.
However, pro-choice advocates warn it will overburden an already stretched healthcare system. With Florida as the lone regional state permitting abortions, around 21 million women from nearly a dozen states accessed services there. Experts say the ban creates an “abortion desert” that will severely impact women.
Last year witnessed over 84,000 abortions in Florida, a 12% jump from 2020. More than half of this rise involved non-residents, with an estimated 9,000 out-of-state patients in 2023 alone.
The situation may change with a November ballot measure seeking to protect the procedure for 24 weeks. The ban and the upcoming vote have amplified tensions since the Supreme Court’s Roe reversal in June 2022.
Most Republican states quickly moved to curb or ban abortion at six weeks following the ruling that ended nationwide access. Stakeholders anxiously await how the November initiative may impact Florida’s newly restricted landscape.
