SEATTLE — On the basement floor of the University of Washington's main undergraduate library, one vending machine stands out. Instead of bags of chips and candy, the shelves are stocked with emergency contraception, pregnancy tests, condoms and over-the-counter pain medications.
The vending machine landed in UW's Odegaard Library in November and aims to expand access to affordable reproductive health care for students. Next year, similar setups will start appearing at public universities and community colleges throughout the state.
Washington recently became the first state to pledge public funding for vending machines that carry emergency contraception — including Plan B, which prevents pregnancy within 72 hours after unprotected sex — at its public universities, technical and community colleges, hoping to address the growing need for reproductive health care on college campuses.
