Border abortions; black markets.

• Author: Tuccille, J.D.
• Position: Citings - Abortifacients - Brief article

When there's demand for an illicit or tightly regulated good or service, underground suppliers always arise. For women in Texas, with its increasingly restrictive abortion laws, that supply comes in the form of abortifacient drugs flowing across the border from Mexico, where they are available without a prescription.

At an open-air flea market outside McAllen, Texas, Mexican-sourced Cytotec, which is commonly used for treating stomach ulcers, is available for sale, according to a July report by Bloomberg. WebMD cautions that the drug, generically known as misoprostol, "may cause abortion, premature birth, or birth defects." That "side effect" is exactly what purchasers at the flea market have in mind.

"You'd be amazed at how many people, young people, are...