Sex is the topic on everyone's lips, and on the front page of The Buffalo News. According to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control, one in every four teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease.
The news is sure to shock parents and horny teenage boys, but health officials in Erie County say they're not surprised.
According to The Buffalo News, Erie County has high cases of gonorrhea and Chlamydia. The 14-19 year olds that participated in the study were tested for human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, and herpes simplex virus type 2, among others. If HPV or herpes were more prevalent, would health officials be shocked then?
No matter what the health workers say, we are living in an epidemic. Ignoring the problem isn't going to make it go away. The only cure is to get high school students enrolled in non-"abstinence-only" programs. Teaching teens that sex and condoms are evil will only discourage safe sex practices and leave students looking to make smart choices about their health in the dark.
In terms of prevention, put those free condoms given out by Sub-Board to use. Just as AlcoholEDU is mandatory is for incoming students, perhaps a larger sexual education component is needed as well.
No matter how skewed the numbers seem, our generation is affected. And the scary part is that people could be living with a disease and be too scared to get tested.
Part of fixing this problem is changing the culture we live in. Going to the clinic to get tested should not have a stigma attached to it; it's the intelligent decision.
Sexually active students should make getting tested akin to going to the dentist; once every six months is ideal.
Think of it as an annual check up to make sure everything's running smoothly. You owe it to yourself and your partner(s).
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
