States With Abortion Bans Move to Criminalize Mailed Abortion Pills as New Data Show Telehealth Use Surging
States with abortion bans are increasingly moving to criminalize mailed abortion pills — Louisiana, Florida and Texas already ban mailing of pills and Louisiana has branded mifepristone a controlled dangerous substance, South Dakota recently made advertising, distributing or selling abortion pills a felony, and bills targeting mailed pills have cleared one chamber in Arizona, Indiana and South Carolina in 2026. The push comes as telehealth abortion use surges — in 2025 more women in the 13 total‑ban states obtained abortion pills via out‑of‑state telehealth than traveled for in‑person care — and several of those states have filed at least three separate federal lawsuits challenging FDA telehealth rules.
📌 Key Facts
- In 2025, for the first time, more women in the 13 states with total abortion bans obtained abortion pills via telehealth from out‑of‑state providers than traveled to other states for in‑person procedures.
- States are moving to criminalize mailed abortion pills: South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a law making it a felony to advertise, distribute or sell abortion pills.
- Louisiana, Florida and Texas already explicitly ban mailing abortion pills; Louisiana has also classified mifepristone as a controlled dangerous substance.
- Bills aimed at keeping abortion pills out have cleared one chamber in Arizona, Indiana and South Carolina in 2026; all three states have Republican-controlled legislatures.
- Legal challenges to FDA telehealth rules over abortion pills are proceeding in at least three separate federal lawsuits: Louisiana in its own federal court; Florida and Texas together in Texas federal court; and a coalition of Florida, Texas, Idaho, Kansas and Missouri in Missouri federal court.
- The recent surge in telehealth distribution of abortion pills is driving state-level legislative and legal actions to restrict mailing and remote provision of the drugs.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms that South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law a bill making it a felony to advertise, distribute or sell abortion pills, not just advancing it.
- Clarifies that in 2025, for the first time, more women in the 13 states with total abortion bans obtained abortion pills via telehealth from out‑of‑state providers than traveled to other states for in‑person procedures.
- Details that Louisiana, Florida and Texas already explicitly ban mailing abortion pills and that Louisiana has classified mifepristone as a controlled dangerous substance.
- Lists that bills aimed at keeping abortion pills out have cleared one chamber in Arizona, Indiana and South Carolina in 2026, all with Republican-controlled legislatures.
- Notes that the states challenging FDA telehealth rules are proceeding in at least three separate lawsuits: Louisiana in its own federal court, Florida and Texas together in Texas federal court, and a coalition of Florida, Texas, Idaho, Kansas and Missouri in Missouri federal court.