STDs likely to hit half of Americans by 25, studies say

From Reuters via the Houston Chronicle:

Half of all young Americans will get a sexually transmitted disease by the age of 25 either because they are ignorant about protection or embarrassed to ask for it, according to two reports issued Tuesday.

The reports, publicized by two nonprofit sexual and youth health groups, said there were 9 million new cases of STD among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 in 2000.

They said the government's policy of preferring abstinence-only education would only increase those rates.

This isn't just speculation: this is hard numerical data conclusively showing that "abstinence based" sex education doesn't work. Sure, tell 'em to abstain, but give 'em some condoms for when they inevitably fail--most studies show that that's the best way to approach sex ed with teenagers. The fundamentalist Christian approach, on the other hand, is simply wishful thinking in the form of moralistic propaganda. It's time to end this crap; young Americans are paying for this right-wing social experiment with their health.

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