Smoking and having alcohol are two behaviours which are considered authorized and “okay” for adults in today’s world. However, we still seek to safeguard teens from the dangers involved with these activities. Firstly, the government established minimum legal age necessities for the usage of both tobacco and alcohol. Further than that, in modern years, the government and great big tobacco companies have agreed to minimize the advertising to teenagers on television and in magazines. “Alcohol advertisers have pledged to comply with self-regulatory codes made to limit targeting of teens” This government involvement is considered essential to shelter our youngsters from these addictions that can cause many difficulties in their lives, now and in their coming years. But there is an extra behaviour that adults not barely approve for teenagers, but “sell” to them! In a word, sex.

Many adults believe that teenagers must have access to contraceptives. I don’t really disagree. However, training only “safer sex” practices under the notion of “they’re ready to do it anyway” minimizes our youth to animals who have no control over their bodies or their dealings. Schools are insincere to our teens when they drive them out into the human race assuming they are going to be safe, without basically advising them of the consequences. Parents, sadly, too often don’t like to be involved, and linger to be unsure, or at least subdued, on the topic. They do not want to have an uncomfortable discussion, believing their young ones won’t listen, or presume that their teen is getting all the basic information from school. Parents, by their own disassociation, are enabling risky behaviour as well. Make sure they learn that sex is not safe. The consequences are enormous, physical and emotional. We need to make sure our teens understand this. Sex education should contain abstinence education, and teenagers should be told that the media is wrong risky sexual behaviour is not glamorous, it is tragic. They are intelligent and capable of making fine decisions, so provide them with the fact that they are better off waiting. Trust me, I know.