The Case for Condom Dispensers on College Campuses

Introduction: The Debate Over Campus Condom Dispensers

Recently, objections have been raised to a university's decision to install condom dispensers in all of its restrooms. Opponents argue that this sends a bad message to the student body regarding sexual practices. They contend that young people should not feel as if premarital sex is encouraged by the administration, and that if students wish to engage in sexual activity, they can simply purchase condoms at a drugstore. Some have also "raised questions as to how the parents of prospective students would react if they saw or knew of condom dispensers on campus" (Cooper 2006, p. 2). According to one college that declined to install such vending machines, health was not cited as the main issue; rather: "The university's number-one concern is recruitment and retention… There is a proportion of people out there who will view these machines negatively, and the administration has taken that into account" (Wexler 2008).

Promoting Adult Responsibility and Student Privacy

However, it could be argued in response that, far from sending the wrong message to students, installing these dispensers sends the right message — that the administration expects students to behave like adults and that it promotes safe sex practices. Additionally, some students may feel embarrassment about purchasing condoms in drugstores. While it could be argued that this is a juvenile reaction, it is surely better to install dispensers where condoms can be purchased in private than to allow students to engage in unsafe sex. "Dispensers would also allow students to obtain condoms anonymously, therefore eliminating the embarrassment of asking another person" (Cooper 2006, p. 2).

Regarding parent disapproval — the health of students should come before any desire to craft a particular image for campus visitors. Additionally, as a community college, many students pay their own tuition and work to fund their studies, making them especially mature in terms of autonomous decision-making. A college that wants students to behave like responsible adults should treat them accordingly, particularly when those students are working and paying tuition like adults.

Convenience, Access, and Student Health Behavior

Another argument against the vending machines is that students will not use condoms obtained from them, making the dispensers an unnecessary waste of money. However, convenience is known to promote positive health behaviors. Just as the availability of healthy foods can encourage better eating habits, so can the ease of obtaining birth control. One survey at a college also contemplating condom dispensers arrived at a striking finding: 41% of students "said that they would have sex without a condom if one was not immediately available" (Cooper 2006, p. 2). When condoms were left out for free at a campus health center, one nurse noted that students took them by the handful.

"Condom dispensers are a good, consistent source" of contraception for students — meaning students do not need to do a great deal of pre-planning to use them, which lessens the chance they will find themselves unprepared. "They ensure that condoms are both affordable and available to students" (Cooper 2006, p. 2). The relationship between condom availability and sexual health outcomes is well documented, and campus dispensers represent a low-barrier intervention that aligns access with need.

Conclusion: A Necessary Step Toward Campus Health

Critics may argue that students with poor planning skills should not be engaging in sexual activity at all. But a school is supposed to teach, not merely lecture students on what constitutes responsible behavior. Installing condom dispensers sends a clear signal: the administration supports student health and trusts students to make informed decisions. Hopefully, responsible condom use will become a lasting habit well beyond graduation.

Works Cited

Cooper, Adra. "Condom Dispensers Proposed to Help CAP STDs." The Guilfordian. September 26, 2006. Accessed May 20, 2009. http://media.www.guilfordian.com/media/storage/paper281/news/2006/09/29/News/Condom.Dispensers.Proposed.To.Help.Cap.Stds-2318180.shtml

Wexler, Kimberly. "South Carolina Students' Demand for Condom Dispensers Denied." University Wire. February 20, 2008. Accessed May 20, 2009. http://www.aegis.com/news/ads/2008/AD080345.html