Discussion on Whether Condom Vending Machines Should Be Installed in Schools to Encourage Safe Sex

One of the basic human instincts is to reproduce, and that involves having sex. A college student may not be looking to have children yet, but they find sex pleasurable. It is unavoidable, and will happen regardless so it is better to address the situation rather than avoid it. Having a vending machine filled with condoms helps students practice safe sex. Buying condoms at the store may cause feelings of anxiety, which could discourage the student from buying them. Having the privacy of the bathroom could ease that anxiety. Aside from that, sexual intercourse has many positive effects on the human body; it relieves stress, it’s a form of exercise, improves sleep, lowers blood pressure, and even improves one’s immunity. As if the stress from college isn’t enough, students are constantly worried about safe sex and remaining clean and healthy. Some people may not see eye-to-eye on this method for many reasons, a major one being religion, but Camden County College is a public school. This means students can practice their choice of religion freely, as well as students who are sexually active should not feel like they need to hide it and feel powerless because of their limited resources. The College Administration at Camden County College has decided to install a condom dispenser for everyone’s convenience and to help decrease the spread of AIDS. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the final stage of HIV infections and is usually fatal. I support the administration’s decision on installing vending machines because it could diminish the spread of AIDS by promoting safe sex, preventing unwanted pregnancies, and could in turn benefit the school financially.

AIDS is a wide spread epidemic, aside from sexual contact it can be spread through used needles and blood transfusions. Although there is treatment, it is extremely expensive to get the proper help and the majority of college students are either working minimum wage jobs or just strictly focusing on their studies which means the majority might not be financially ready to deal with the cost of treatment. Educating these students on the risks and prevention methods can only help so much. People will do what they want regardless, and instead of pretending that everything is fine the school should act on it. Having these vending machines will show the students that the administration cares. On top of that, adding these would ease the burden of the possibility of acquiring AIDS, which is a distraction in itself that could take away from the student’s education. Some could argue that having classes on the subject and informing the students about the dangers of practicing unsafe sex would be substantial. The problem with that idea is that every single student was required to take health classes throughout high school, and are already aware of the risks associated with unsafe sex yet there is still a large epidemic surrounding the spread of AIDS. With that said, it is clear that the classes alone are not as effective as they were once intended to be.

Not only would the vending machines help desecrate the spread of AIDS, but it would prevent unwanted pregnancies. Since most college students are coming straight from high school becoming pregnant at a young age causes financial hardships on students. Like I stated previously, most students are not financially stable yet. This is not only a distraction from school work but it forces the small amount of money they may have to go strictly to the child. This means the student has to budget, cutting out important necessities like buying condoms from the store. Once you are pregnant condoms may not be necessary because there is a slim chance of becoming pregnant again during those nine months. Buying condoms goes out the window because they are not necessary and could be the last thing on the woman’s mind. Having the condoms located in bathrooms is a constant reminder to keep practicing safe sex regardless. Teaching someone abstinence, or claiming they should have learned their lesson because they are pregnant does not stop someone from having sexual intercourse. During the nine months a woman’s hormones are all over the place, and the urge to have sex is heightened. Without condoms sticking out at them every time they go to the bathroom, and they go a lot, it is easy for proper protection to be the least of their worries at the moment. Without easy access there is more of a possibility to catch the AIDS virus through the unprotected sex.

At college, education is essential and should be the main priority, but colleges are also a business, and showing that the college cares about the safety of their students makes it more attractive. Supplying the vending machines could be costly for the college in the beginning. Condoms are expensive, but eventually the school could profit from them because of the high demand. Charging the students slightly more than what the condoms cost would create a profit the school could benefit from. These vending machines provide a defining characteristic for Camden County College that could persuade a student to apply and eventually attend. Some people may take the gesture as a promotion for more sex, but it also shows that the college cares and is providing the necessary means for success. Sending children to college is already scary for parents as it is, community colleges are easier because the majority of the students may still live at home, or they might not. But it can create some ease for the parent/guardian that condoms are easily accessible and lessens the chance of a student catching AIDS, or any other STD.

The AIDS virus is a huge crisis affecting more than 33 million people in the world. The system schools have been offering seems to be ineffective because AIDS is still so prevalent. Implementing different means to help promote safe sex is essential, because schools can preach about it all day, but taking action is shown to be more effective. Think about it, would you trust your significant other saying “I love you” but displays actions that contradict it, or would you rather have them show how much the love you through their actions and words. To ensure students have a successful future we need to acknowledge the fact that students will continue to have sexual intercourse, and instead of turning a blind eye, administration should provide the necessary means for success. All and all, providing these vending machines promotes safe sex, prevents unwanted pregnancies, and benefits the school financially.