If planning your outfit, getting ready with friends, and dancing to Lady Gaga at a party describe what you’re doing this Friday night, why not plan your birth control as well?
Even if you’re super careful about taking your birth control and using a condom when you have sex, studies show that drinking alcohol or taking drugs may increase your risk of having unprotected sex. Using drugs or alcohol puts you at more risk for unprotected sex, teen pregnancy, and STDs. This is because some of the side effects of drug or alcohol use include impaired judgment, slowed behavior, confusion, and even extreme emotion.
According to a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, 26% of the teens they surveyed who had sex without a condom had been drinking alcohol, and 15.6% had been using drugs.
So if you’re going out for a fun night with friends this weekend, prepare! You’re more likely to stop and remember to use a condom in the heat of the moment if you already have one nearby!
Not sure where to get condoms? Visit the “Find a Clinic” page to find free condoms near you!