California ends business with Walgreens after abortion pill decision, Gov. Newsom says

California is ending its business with Walgreens and backing out of a $54 million contract.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement came after the drugstore chain announced it would halt sales of abortion drugs in 21 Republican-led states.

“California will not do business with @walgreens, or any company that cowers in the face of extremists and puts women’s lives at risk,” the Democratic governor tweeted Monday. “We’re done”.

Approximately half of the abortions in the US they are carried out through drugs such as mifepristone, CNN reported.

Last week, Walgreens announced that it would no longer sell the abortion drug in its brick-and-mortar stores or distribute it by mail to several red states.

The decision came in response to numerous threats from attorneys general in states, including Kansas, Iowa and others where abortion is still legal.

“We intend to be a certified pharmacy and will distribute mifepristone only in those jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally feasible,” the company said in a statement last week.

California is now “reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state,” Newsom spokesman Brandon Richards said Wednesday.

In addition to the $54 million contract, the state Department of General Services also has an agreement with Walgreens “to purchase prescription drugs from specialty pharmacies.”

The contract is used primarily by the state’s prison health system, which will now look at other options “to provide the same services.” Newsom’s office said in the statement.

Walgreens said it was disappointed with the decision, chalking it up to “false and misleading information.”

“Our position has always been that once we are certified by the (Food and Drug Administration), Walgreens plans to dispense mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permitted to do so,” spokesman Fraser Engerman said.