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"The pharmacists don't need to know if it's for medical reasons or not--it's none of their business. This sets a bad precedent. What if it's against your religion to sell liquor, cigarettes or nudie magazines? You shouldn't take the job if the duties of that job violate your moral or religious beliefs."

Since when does the State have the right to compel a person in a private business to violate their fundamental religious beliefs? Many of the posters here would do very well apparently in a totalitarian society.

A woman presents a prescription for the "morning after pill" to a pharmacist. He views it as a form of abortion, because it prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg [a new life] into the uterine lining. He therefore refuses to fill it. She is free to take the prescription elsewhere, just as he is free to be true to his moral values. Since when does she have the RIGHT to demand he assist her in what he views as murder?

Similarly, I am aware of Family Doctors who refuse to prescribe birth control for unmarried women. They have every right to refuse to violate their Christian belief that premarital sex is wrong. They are NOT in the womans' bedroom preventing her from being immoral; they simply refuse to be made a party to it. She is free to find another doctor.

I think some of the "outrage" these women feel is that someone is actually making a moral judgment about their behavior; "how DARE he think I am immoral!". And THERE is a fundamental problem in our society, that many people have the belief that they are not only free to act any way they wish, but that they deserve the approval and endorsement of everyone else. Hence the movement among homosexuals that they not just be allowed their disgusting practices, but that society actually accept their perverted lifestyle as being just as valid as any other.

"Since when does the State have the right to compel a person in a private business to violate their fundamental religious beliefs? Many of the posters here would do very well apparently in a totalitarian society."

You're right so why not cut out the Parmacist all together. Why not have the doctor submit the prescription to the drug manufacturer who then ships the drugs directly to the patient. The patients privacy isn't violated by a busy-body pharmacist and the pharmacist will be free to pursue other employment which doesn't violate his moral beliefs. This could also have the added benefit of reducing the price of prescription drugs.