While binders, pens, and notebooks are staples on most high school students’ back-to-school shopping lists, there’s one other item that parents should seriously consider: condoms.
In 2020, young people ages 15-24 accounted for 53% of new STIs in the United States. Readily available and affordable contraception, especially condoms, is essential to prevent unintended pregnancy and STIs. (Photo: Vincent LECOMTE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Condoms may seem like a surprising addition to the checklist, but they’re not: Of the nearly 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases reported in 2020, young people ages 15 to 24 accounted for more than half, according to the latest CDC data.
So it’s worth asking: When millions of high school students return to school this fall, what will their access to safe-sex supplies and contraception be like?
Part of my job is distributing condoms, and I regularly get requests for them from people who are worried about whether they can get contraception when they need it. Parents often contact me asking for condoms for their teenage children and their friends. They worry that their kids won’t have access to free contraception elsewhere, or that the cost or social awkwardness of purchasing condoms will stop them from buying them. Parents have good reason to be concerned: a 2021 CDC survey found that 48% of U.S. high school students surveyed didn’t use a condom the last time they had sex.
Many parents who request condoms report that they want to ensure their children have the information and resources they need to make safer sex choices. In 2018, the CDC found that one in five people in the United States had a sexually transmitted disease. In 2020, young people ages 15-24 accounted for 53% of new sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. Readily available and affordable contraception, especially condoms, is an essential means of preventing unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Challenges and challenges in implementing condom promotion programs
Since the 1990s, the CDC has recommended condom distribution programs (CAPs) to provide free condoms in high schools, but these programs have been unevenly implemented because they rely on individual schools and districts to initiate and run their own programs.
In many states, schools do not provide sex education to students. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only about half of 15-19 year olds say they received sex education that meets minimum standards. This is alarming considering that 96% of parents think it is important for sex education to be offered in high school, and 84% want it to be offered in middle school.
And schools that want to provide condoms may not have the funds to do so: Two-thirds of K-12 school health officials say their schools or districts don’t offer students any contraception, including condoms, so many parents are trying to fill the gap.
There are several legislative efforts underway to provide condoms in schools. Last year, a bill to provide free condoms to all public high school students in California passed the state legislature but was vetoed by the governor due to budgetary concerns. Such efforts aim to make access to condoms more equitable, as current contraception programs vary from district to district. At the national level, the impact of such a program would be much greater.
Equipping teenagers for a responsible future
Access to contraception gives young people reproductive autonomy — the ability to decide when, how, and whether to have children. Combined with family planning, it can increase college graduation rates by up to 12 percent. Barrier methods, such as internal or external condoms, also help young people protect against sexually transmitted diseases and reduce the risks associated with sexual activity. By preventing unplanned pregnancies in a world where population growth increases demand for water, land, trees and fossil fuels, condoms also help maintain a healthy planet.
If you’re a parent of a high school student, you’re probably buying highlighters, calculators, and other supplies for the next semester. But if you’re going to set your student up for success in one area, why not set them up for success everywhere? Buying condoms for your teen is a healthy first step.
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