Happy National Condom Awareness Week! To celebrate, find FREE condoms near you through our Condom Access Project!
Condoms are an important effective birth control method - and the ONLY one that can help prevent both STIs and unintended pregnancy.
In California, over half of all STIs are experienced by young people ages 15-24. That’s why it’s important to use a barrier method, such as internal or external condoms. Not sure what those are? Learn more about the different kinds of condoms.
You don’t need to be a specific age to buy condoms, and they are available at pharmacies, drugstores, grocery stores, and big retailers like Target and Walgreens. We also have a map where you can find free condoms near you and in some parts of California, get condoms mailed to your house! If you are worried about condoms being mailed, you can either put in a different mailing address or pick them up at a location near you. Check out how to get free condoms.
We know that condoms can get expensive and it can be hard for teens to purchase condoms on their own. Although some high schools have free condoms in a nurse’s office or school health center, not everyone can get them easily. Teens have also experienced barriers to buying condoms in stores, such as stigma and harassment because of their age.
In a survey conducted by Essential Access Health, over half of all surveyed teens said they do not have condoms in their school. Yet, 75% believe that condoms are very important, while 25% believe it is important.
That is why Essential Access, which oversees TeenSource, is trying to make it easier for teens across the state to get condoms through a measure that was informed by youth.
Co-sponsored by Essential Access, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Generation Up, and URGE, the bill will ensure that internal and external condoms are available in California high schools.
If you are a student who is interested in getting involved and working with like-minded youth leaders to help advance condom access, sign up here!
Happy National Condom Awareness Week!