Sales of sex toys could be banned from pharmacy shelves in Texas after a state representative introduced a bill to restrict the “sale of obscene devices” to premises of “sexually oriented business”. 

According to a bill brought forward by Texas Republican state representative elect Hillary Hickland entitled HB 1549, the district court can bring action against any business who ignores the bill and impose “a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation”. 

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It adds that “this Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house” but “if this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025”. 

The bill refers to “obscene devices” which relate to “a dildo or artificial vagina, designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs”, with the term “obscene” in this context also referring to the “interest of sex”. 

Hickland tweeted last week (December 10) that she would “always fight to protect our children”. 

“Obsessed with dildos”  

Hickland’s bill has garnered support from a Texas state republican executive committee member Christin Bentley, who shared the bill’s document on X.com last week (December 10) to “applaud representative-elect Hilary Hickland” to remove sex toys from “public retail establishments commonly frequented by families and children”. 

Bentley wrote: “In the ongoing culture war, the most vulnerable members of society - our children - are on the frontlines. 

“The state has a compelling interest to protect children from sexualisation, as it leads to their exploitation and is critical to both their safety and natural development. 

Read more: Trump calls for investigation into link between vaccines and autism 

“Sex toys have no place on the shelves of family-friendly markets.” 

Bentley had previously shared images of butt plugs, air suction toys, silicone rings and pocket wands allegedly found at a CVS pharmacy last month (November 22) to show how easily it was to purchase sex toys from a business that isn’t “sexually oriented”.  

Read more: US pharmacies endorse ‘vaccine-sceptic’ new health sec RFK Jr 

C+D verified both CVS and Walmart websites sell a variety of sex toys to customers. 

But others have mocked the bill, including Texas district attorney Sarah Stogner, who replied to Bentley’s tweet last month saying: “It’s still ridiculous”. 

“Makes me want to go to CVS, buy 7 dildos and show up at the sheriff’s office and ask him to charge me with intent to distribute,” she wrote. 

She replied again to Bentley, writing “I see you’re still obsessed with dildos. Perhaps you should buy one and try it. Might make you less uptight”. 

US pharmacy latest 

It comes as four US senators and representatives introduced the Patients Before Monopolies Act last week (December 11) to “prohibit a parent company of a PBM or an insurer from owning a pharmacy business” and “require that a parent company in violation of the PBM Act divest its pharmacy business within three years”. 

The act explains that “the three largest PBMs – CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx – manage 80% of prescription drug claims”.  

“These PBMs are each owned by a parent company that also owns one of the top five health insurers – CVS/Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare, respectively – and a massive retail, mail-order, and/or specialty pharmacy chain.  

Read more: Third of US pharmacies have closed in a decade, study reveals 

“These health care giants have successfully manipulated the drug delivery chain to enrich themselves and squash competition.” 

The legislation will “address this unacceptable conflict of interest, allows corporate giants to put profits over the interests of patients, taxpayers, employers, and independent pharmacies”. 

Last week, C+D reported that US President-elect Donald Trump has called for an investigation into the link between vaccines and autism – a debunked claim – and has said his health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr will be “working with” drug companies to find out “what’s happening”. 

Read more: ‘Reimagining healthcare’: Amazon Pharmacy announces expansion of US same-day drug delivery 

Kennedy Jr, known as RFK Jr, was nominated to the position last month despite controversial views about vaccines. 

Earlier this month, a study found almost 30% of US retail pharmacies closed in the decade between 2010 and 2021. 

In October, Amazon Pharmacy announced it will expand its same-day medication delivery service to 20 new cities in the US in 2025 to address the growth of “pharmacy deserts”. 

Read more: Boots parent company announces 1,200 US store closures 

And Boots’ parent company Walgreen Boots Alliance revealed that in the US, some 1,200 “future expected store closures” will happen amid a 10% year-on-year pharmacy sales growth from Boots UK. 

In September, the US government announced that a Mexican pharmacy that was  “owned, controlled or directed” by members of the Sinaloa fentanyl trafficking cartel will be hit by sanctions.