Contraceptive pill at 13?
Today it was announced the start of trials in pharmacies, to supply the contraceptive pill for sale to people as young as 13.
Traditionally, if you were a teenager wanting to go on the pill, you would have to go to your local doctor or family planning clinic, but now you will be able to buy the pill over the counter without even a prescription..
The worrying bit though is, is 13 too young?
The treatment.
The most common form of the Pill is taken everyday for 21 days, then a gap for 7 and then started again.
The argument.
The thoughts on it though are very defined, 13 is a very young age, to be responsible enough to take the pill as prescribed everyday, then resting and then starting again.
The pill only prevents pregnancy, it doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases, so that means an additional cost of condoms, and in these tough times, if the teenager hasn’t got a job and has to ask the parent for an extra £20+ (for the pill and condoms), they are bound to ask the teen, why they want that extra money, the truth will have to come out somehow.
Another factor to the discussion is all you get is a set of instructions, no doctor is there asking valuable questions or explaining the dangers of not having a break, and answering important questions for concerned young people, a doctor is someone that you can confide with, in full confidence, because of patient confidentiality.
Just letting teenagers go out and buy the Pill like this is like giving a box of knives to a 3 year old and saying ‘thank you, come back again for your next months supply!’ Instead of saying to the 3 year old to be careful, knives are serious things and if used inappropriately could do some real damage, and its not just knives you need to think of, its guns too.
Encouraging safe (but on the other hand underage) sex, is something I am proud to see the government campaign for, but I would like to see something else, perhaps an app for Smartphones that teenagers can download as a reminder to take the pill and websites clearly explaining and helping with the administration.
Growing up as a teenager, gets more and more confusing as the days pass. I just want to do the right thing.
Feel free to comment about how you feel about this!
Posted on April 26, 2012, in Lets have a mass debate! and tagged 13, Contraception, money, pill., Safe sex, teenagers. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Theonlyavailableusername's Blog 
This I think is a bit of a spanner move.
A doctor can prescribe the pill to an under 16 and it’s already confidential. The person involved just has to be considered mature enough to handle it. They could perhaps promote this fact however letting girls buying it over the counter seems like a cost making move rather than a beneficial service.
Related article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillick_competence
Thank you so much for that link! I didn’t know about ‘Gillick Competence’, you really do learn something new every day!
Also, I think you’re right, its an added scheme to make more money…
Well what I know , humans are sexually ready for reproducing at the age of 12 , so biologically it’s fine , but the problem is can we handle a baby at the age of a teenager ?
Well, generally, humans can start to reproduce at 12, but there have been a few cases, most recently in Columbia of children having Children.. 9 years olds.
Really and truly though, as the law stands in England, a person under the age of 16 (even if they are with a person the same age as them), if they have intercourse, regardless of it was consentual, its an offence taken seriously.
I believe instead of handing pills out like smarties, they should be handing out free condoms for teens.
I respect teens who have children, but some teens aren’t ready for the life changing responsiblity that a new life brings.