Maybe, baby

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5201695/First-TV-commercial-for-morning-after-pill-will-increase-teenage-promiscuity.html

Assuming that statistics aren't the enormous lie that most people perpetrate them to be, we have to summise that underage pregnancy in the UK is a big problem. You've heard the most of my views before regarding this; but summed up, I have come to the uncomfortable conclusion based on abortion statistics that too many women are using them as a form of contraception. People become careless, they forget their pill, they neglect to use a condom, but instead of worrying about the consequences, they say; "Nevermind".

It therefore surprises me to some extent that Ann Widdecombe is taking such issue with these advertisements for the morning after pill. We have to take it as read that drunken mishaps and carelessness will unfortunately occur from time to time, and it is much wiser to have a safety net that can be applied the following day, before any serious damage has been done. What I think the problem with Widdecombe's argument is, is that she is confusing the issue of lowering teenage pregnancy with lowering the number indulging in underage sex.

"Overage sex" as I suppose it might be called, or more specifically, "sexual intercourse over and above and age of consent" is not illegal, and it's not something Widdecombe has the right to badger young people about. According to UK law, once we are 16 and above it is the individual's choice whether they engage in sex. Widdecombe's chief objection appears to be that young people will see the advertisements, and conclude that it is now ok for them to have sex. This seems an illogical standpoint - after all, we advertise condoms after the watershed - does that encourage underage sex? Furthermore, there are multiple "ads" regarding the danger of STIs, which surely affect the more sensible of us. The advert for the morning after pill is not suggesting that individuals shouldn't use a condom, but is informing them that they can buy the pill over the counter and save themselves a lot of grief and embarrassment. If people are still determined to have unprotected sex despite the numerous warnings of STIs, then I think it will be difficult to find another way to get through to them, and at least this way we can stop people who are evidently too irresponsible to protect themselves from bringing another life into the world that they are ill-prepared to care for.

J
xx