The rising toll of Florida's abortion ban

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The rising toll of Florida’s abortion ban
The number of Florida residents who traveled out of state nearly tripled between 2023 and 2024

By Nicole Karlis
Senior Writer
Published May 5, 2026 6:30AM (EDT)


(Salon) Nearly two years ago, Florida’s six-week abortion ban went into effect, forcing most people to travel out of state if they need an abortion. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and essentially made access a state issue, Florida became one of the top three states to see a rise in out-of-state abortions. In other words, it became an unlikely surge state.

The new law made it a penalty to perform or actively participate in an abortion six weeks after gestation, with limited exceptions. Before the new law went into effect, the state allowed for abortions up to 15 weeks of gestation. Not only has the law been severely restrictive to Floridians needing to access abortion care, but it has been devastating to people in the South who live in states that have similarly strict laws.

New data from Guttmacher’s Monthly Abortion Provision Study shows just how dramatically restricting access in Florida has affected reproductive care in the state and throughout the Southeast region, forcing thousands of people to travel long distances for out-of-state care.

“In the nearly two years since Florida’s six-week ban took effect, the number of abortions provided in the state has dropped significantly,” Candace Gibson, director of state policy at the Guttmacher Institute, said in a statement. “However, the need for care has not decreased.” ..................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/05/05/the-rising-toll-of-floridas-abortion-ban/