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Where do babies come from?

This question, though juvenile and reminiscent of something your younger brother might have asked while on a road trip, sparks a much larger debate. What role does the school have in providing its students access to contraceptives? A debate normally confined to the arena of Conservative Elementary PTA vs. Health Curriculum that Discusses Sexual Maturation, transcends new levels at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.

The school recently made emergency contraceptives, such as the Plan B One-Step “morning after pill,” available to the student body via a vending machine located in the University health center. And surprisingly, this isn’t just a matter of morality vs. reality, or abstinence-only curriculum vs. the inclusion of contraceptives or even the University signing a promotional contract with the corporation. It’s a case of supply and demand. But just because there is a demand for the emergency contraceptive pill, an alleged necessity, should the University be the one to fill the void?

At Shippensburg, student services made sure that no University money would pay for access. The school pays $25 per pill, which is the same amount students must pay.

“We were uncomfortable providing (Plan B) for free because that would mean we’re supporting Plan B with state money or fee money,” Roger Serr, vice president of Student Affairs at Shippensburg University told CNN.

The alternative vending machines were installed following a survey in which the student body expressed an 85 percent support rate. With an enrollment of roughly 8,000 undergraduates that means approximately 6,800 are in favor of these machines.

It’s great that a majority of undergraduates are in favor of easier access to contraception. In fact, last year the health center at Shippensburg sold between 350 and 450 pills to students.

However, the contraception in question should be more preventative measures like condoms. If you’re mature enough to be having sex, you need to be mature enough to deal with the consequences. Those consequences sometimes include dealing with the aftermath of unprotected sex and last night’s regrets.

It comes down to a health issue. Emergency contraception contains serious hormones, just like typical birth control pills. Playing with the hormonal composition of your body can be dangerous. There is a reason you’re required to go to a doctor and pharmacist to get daily birth control. These are the same reasons you get emergency contraception over the counter — to protect your health.

This isn’t a debate on where you stand on abortion, availability of condoms or when young adults should be having sex. This is about protecting health.

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