California university installs vending machine that dispenses contraceptives

A university in California has generated controversy for installing a vending machine that dispenses Plan B emergency contraceptive pills on its campus.

A study room at the University of California Davis is now equipped with a "Wellness To Go" vending machine that dispenses the Plan B pills, as well as pregnancy tests, condoms, pain relievers and tampons.

Former student senator Parteek Singh had spent two years lobbying for the vending machine, which was installed in early April.

"The more skeptical and negativity I got from other people like 'oh it's not gonna happen,' kind of pushed me more," Singh told KTXL. "I feel like every college should have this," he added.

The machine generated mixed reactions from students, with one describing it as a "great thing for women."

Another student expressed concern that the decision promotes recklessness and irresponsibility among UC Davis attendees. "It is promoting like oh hey, go and have unsafe sex because then you have a backup option and its gonna be cheaper," said UC Davis student Jordan Herrera.

UC Davis is roughly one of four campuses across the United States that provide students with a similar method to access contraceptions.

Evangelist Franklin Graham criticized the university on Facebook and accused it of "promoting sex."

"They call it a "Wellness To Go" machine-I strongly disagree. There's nothing healthy about sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman as God created it—in fact it's dangerous. It is very sad and concerning to see this type of thing embraced on a university campus," Graham wrote.

Plan B became available for all women without prescription under the Obama Administration in 2013.

In 2007, the Washington Pharmacy Commission issued an order requiring pharmacies to dispense abortion-inducing pills such as Plan B and ella, and make consciense-based referrals illegal.

Greg Stormans, whose family operates a small grocery store and pharmacy, filed a lawsuit against the state in July 2007 to stop the enforcement of the regulation. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit reversed a district court's decision to suspend the regulation in July 2015.

The Stormans are still locked in a legal battle over the regulation. They said that their business saw a drop in sales by 30 percent because of the lawsuit, forcing them to take a pay cut and reduce staff by 10 percent.