Niki Panayiotou

Jerome Mckeever
Honors College Composition I
April 14, 2014


Does Access to Condoms Promote Irresponsible, Dangerous, or Bad Behavior?
Schools all over the United States are informing children, not even teens, about how to
have safe sex. Most schools start informing children about sex and pregnancy in elementary
schools. In high schools, the health classes and safe sex programs will often handout condoms as
a safety measure. There are also free health clinics that any aged person can walk into and they
will give out free condoms and other forms of contraceptives. These programs are trying to teach
teens to stay safe and be smart, but many people wonder if this is actually encouraging teenagers
to have more sex and to participate in other behaviors.
When teenagers have access to condoms they are more likely to use them than to be
irresponsible and not. The majority of sexually experienced teens (78% of females and 85% of
males) used contraceptives the first time they had sex (Facts). A majority of teenagers, when
having sex for the first time, because they were informed and had access to contraceptives, used
what they could get when having sex. Without the easy access for many teens, their first times
would have been dangerous and probably would have resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. The
condom is the most common contraceptive method used at first intercourse; 68% of females and
80% of males use it the first time they have sex (Facts). Condoms are the easiest form of
contraceptive a teenager can get, since they can just walk into almost any drug store and buy
them. Among sexually active teen females, 66% received contraceptive services in the last year;
about one-third received this care from publicly funded clinics, the rest from private health care
providers (Facts). Its not just males that use a form of contraceptives. Many female teenagers
will go and get a form of birth control. Teenagers that are informed and have access to condoms
are more likely to make smart decisions than to make bad decisions.
Most people think that since there is such an easy access to condoms for most teens that
there will be more pregnancies. But the opposite is true. The 2008 rate was a record low and
represented a 42% decline from the peak rate of 117 per 1,000, which occurred in 1990 ( Facts).
This statistic shows that the birth rate has declined dramatically in only about twenty years. Most
think this is because of the education in schools and the easy access to condoms. Also, there are
shows like Teen Mom that show teenagers what life is like having a child so young. Because of
classes and shows, teenagers are more informed now and they understand more clearly their
consequences and what will happen. In 1991, the U.S. teen birth rate was 61.8 births for every
1,000 adolescent females, compared with 29.4 births for every 1,000 adolescent females in
2012 (Office). Health programs have informed teens more about prevention and safe sex, so the
pregnancy rate has dropped dramatically in only twenty years. According to recent national
data, this decline[ teen pregnancies] is due to the combination of an increased percentage of
adolescents who are waiting to have sexual intercourse and the increased use of contraceptives
by teens (Office). This just proves how just because teens have easier access to condoms, they
are not necessarily making bad decisions, but they are being more responsible.
Access to condoms has helped many people prevent pregnancies or possibly getting an
unknown STD. Schools and public health clinics are helping inform younger people about how
to be safe and use protection. Teen pregnancy rates have dropped dramatically because of
knowledge that is given to those teenagers. In the end, easy access to condoms is a good idea and
helps promote responsible decisions and behaviors.

Facts on American Teens' Sexual and Reproductive Health." Facts on American Teens' Sexual
and Reproductive Health. N.p., June-July 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-ATSRH.html>.

"Office of Adolescent Health." Office of Adolescent Health. N.p., 20 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Apr.
2014. <http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/teen-
pregnancy/trends.html>.