Plan will allow 16-year-olds to buy condoms

7sr2z3fely84g5

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/plan-will-allow-16yearolds-to-buy-condoms-2830219.html

THE Government will consider a controversial new law allowing teenagers as young as 16 to buy condoms -- despite not being old enough to legally have sex.
In a major report published today, the Law Reform Commission will recommend that 16 and 17-year-olds should be able to consent to and refuse medical treatment, including over-the-counter medicines, surgery and mental health services.
However, it has called for 16-year-olds to be able to access treatment, including contraception, without their parents' knowledge. This is in spite of the age of consent being 17.
The commission is also recommending that only in "exceptional circumstances" should those aged under 16 years be able to make such decisions without parental knowledge.
But in such cases, health care professionals must first assess the patient's level of maturity and encourage them to involve their parents or guardians in making the decision. In its final report on 'Children and the Law: Medical Treatment', the commission acknowledged the "complex interaction" between the rights, responsibilities and roles of parents and young people. It makes 20 recommendations aimed at clarifying the existing law in the area which allows 16 and 17-year-olds to allow or refuse treatment and ensuring young people's views are fully taken into account.
Contraception
However, in recommending that 16-year-olds be able to buy contraception, it creates an anomaly as the legal age of consent in Ireland is 17 years.
Fianna Fail spokesman on children, Charlie McConalogue, welcomed the report, but said there was an issue with 16-year-olds accessing contraception. "The object of government policy has to be to try and encourage young people not to engage in sexual activity until they're ready for it and not before the legal age of consent.
"This document will be a useful contribution to what is a sensitive debate and I welcome the fact that the Law Reform Commission is looking at this issue," he added. The commission also envisages a situation where under 16s could access medical care, including contraception, without the knowledge of their parents. However, it argues that this must only happen in exceptional circumstances. It conceded that while the issue of contraception will garner much media and public attention, it stressed that its report does not make any recommendations on the wider topics of teenage pregnancy and availability of contraception.
The commission also called for those aged 16 and 17 to be presumed to have the capacity to make an advance care directive.
Such "living wills" set out what treatment a person wants to have, in the event they are incapacitated through their illness and can include directions such as not resuscitate them in event of heart failure.
However, it added that where any person under 18 refuses life-sustaining treatment, an application to the High Court would still be required."An assessment of a minor and a young person by a trained and experienced health care professional is crucial in determining capacity, rather than assuming capacity on the basis of age," said the report. The report also calls for the Mental Health Act 2001 to be amended so that a mental health tribunal rather than the District Court reviews the admission and treatment of young people under 18 years of age.

Why do i have a feeling this wont go ahead,and if it does,the busybodies will be on tv and radio objecting trying to stop this

Mickeroo

It's terrible Joe. It's better that they get/make someone pregnant and live with the consequences of sex out of wedlock. The little feckers.

dsmythy

Better than them using no protection. They should reduce all ages of consent to a flat 16 years of age.

AnonoBoy

I thought they had got rid of the age restriction on condoms years ago here?

smokedeels

Buy them in pub toilets.... problem solved.

I remember being 16, getting laid was the hard part not buying protection.

dee.

I think this is a great idea although i wonder why they pick 16? A lot of younger teenagers are having sex nowdays and plenty of 16 year olds can get into pubs/buy condoms in the bathrooms anyway. It's unfortunate that kids are having sex so young but at least many will be protected rather than getting pregnant/disease/etc.

admiralofthefleet

in before snyper, giggity goo and all that bollox

Rippy

I was not aware there was a minimum age for buying condoms.
They should be available to anyone having sex regardless of age .
I would prefer 14 or 15 year olds buying and using condoms rather than risking pregnancy and STIs.

LighterGuy

In fairness, we all know teenagers under 17 have sex.
By allowing teenagers as young as 16 to buy condoms will reduce teenage pregnancy and STDs. This is a good thing.

Its crazy when you think about it. Lets say a 14yo teenage boy wants to go into a pharmacy to buy condoms .... staff say no. too young. That right there could effect future outcomes. He could get a girl pregnant, he could of catch something.

Personally, I think teenagers should be allowed to buy condoms. This isnt a pack of smokes or beer.

Im Only 71Kg

young ones are sluts..end of story.

7sr2z3fely84g5

dee. wrote: »

I think this is a great idea although i wonder why they pick 16? A lot of younger teenagers are having sex nowdays and plenty of 16 year olds can get into pubs/buy condoms in the bathrooms anyway. It's unfortunate that kids are having sex so young but at least many will be protected rather than getting pregnant/disease/etc.

My own theory is maybe because teens on the border counties can go over the north and buy them with ease!.

Absurdum

most shopping center jacks have machines, what's the big deal yo

Dont be at yourself

Ridiculous that there's any age restriction on condoms, it's not like they're a dangerous drug.

Seachmall

It should be against the law to prevent anyone, regardless of age, from buying condoms. There was an episode of "What Would You Do?" where they addressed the issue of chemists refusing to sell condoms to teens (which is illegal in whichever state they were in).

Chris Hansen

Feck sake did fingering die a death in this country??

Mickeroo

dee. wrote: »

I think this is a great idea although i wonder why they pick 16? A lot of younger teenagers are having sex nowdays and plenty of 16 year olds can get into pubs/buy condoms in the bathrooms anyway. It's unfortunate that kids are having sex so young but at least many will be protected rather than getting pregnant/disease/etc.

Surely the average age for people to lose their virginity is older than ever now? Sure 13 was an acceptable age to get married in the 1800s.

casio4

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

in before snyper, giggity goo and all that bollox

plein de force

Won't someone please think of the children

Chris Hansen

Im Only 71Kg wrote: »

young ones are sluts..end of story.

Hi I'm Chris Hansen, why dont you take a seat over there?

jive

Wait there was a law that says you can't buy condoms if you're <17? I get ID'd _every time_ i buy drink because I look about 12. I've never been ID'd buying condoms... http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-1/1238576/interdasting.jpg

Sabre0001

smokedeels wrote: »

Buy them in pub toilets.... problem solved.

I remember being 16, getting laid was the hard part not buying protection.

Still the hard part :rolleyes:

--LOS--

there was an age restriction on buying condoms???


who knew

Sonics2k

There's an age limit o.O

El Siglo

I don't know which is more awkward, being 16 and buying condoms illegally from a chemist or being a chemist and asking a person for ID to buy condoms. Seriously, how is this even an issue?

krudler

--LOS-- wrote: »

there was an age restriction on buying condoms???


who knew

condoms were illegal to sell outside chemists in this country up until 1992, thats just batsh1t insane, and completely illegal before 1978 they had to be prescribed by a doctor and only to married couples.

there should be condom machines in secondary schools, teenagers have sex, always have, always will, better they have easy access to them and reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies and std's than offending parents and the moral brigade

Liam Byrne

I was listening to a radio discussion about this on 4FM earlier, and the level of "parenting" involved was astounding!

Basically a good few callers reckoned that the responsible thing to do was to allow kids to buy condoms.

There was absolutely no level of concern or thought put into actually telling kids that holding off on having sex was a damn good idea until they were mature enough to handle it.

Basically they were treating the kids like babies who throw a tantrum screaming "but I WAAAANNNNNTTTT to".

Absolutely ridiculous, and if that's what passes for parenting in this country it's no wonder we're over-run with kids deserving ASBOs.

"But they'll do it anyway"

Not if you bring them up right to have their own mind and not be an idiotic prat when it comes to peer pressure.

What next ? Supply them with needles just because they're not mature enough to say "no, f**k off, to some idiot who wants them to try cocaine" ?

Cill Dara Abu

God be with the days an oul hand shandy would have done

krudler

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I was listening to a radio discussion about this on 4FM earlier, and the level of "parenting" involved was astounding!

Basically a good few callers reckoned that the responsible thing to do was to allow kids to buy condoms.

There was absolutely no level of concern or thought put into actually telling kids that holding off on having sex was a damn good idea until they were mature enough to handle it.

Basically they were treating the kids like babies who throw a tantrum screaming "but I WAAAANNNNNTTTT to".

Absolutely ridiculous, and if that's what passes for parenting in this country it's no wonder we're over-run with kids deserving ASBOs.

"But they'll do it anyway"

Not if you bring them up right to have their own mind and not be an idiotic prat when it comes to peer pressure.

What next ? Supply them with needles just because they're not mature enough to say "no, f**k off, to some idiot who wants them to try cocaine" ?

are you seriously equating having sex with doing hard drugs?

also who uses needles to do coke?

Liam Byrne

krudler wrote: »

are you seriously equating having sex with doing hard drugs?

Nowhere near it.

I'm just saying that the correct way to bring up kids is to make them mature and independent and confident enough to say "no, f**k off".

Cill Dara Abu

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I was listening to a radio discussion about this on 4FM earlier, and the level of "parenting" involved was astounding!

Basically a good few callers reckoned that the responsible thing to do was to allow kids to buy condoms.

There was absolutely no level of concern or thought put into actually telling kids that holding off on having sex was a damn good idea until they were mature enough to handle it.

Basically they were treating the kids like babies who throw a tantrum screaming "but I WAAAANNNNNTTTT to".

Absolutely ridiculous, and if that's what passes for parenting in this country it's no wonder we're over-run with kids deserving ASBOs.

"But they'll do it anyway"

Not if you bring them up right to have their own mind and not be an idiotic prat when it comes to peer pressure.

What next ? Supply them with needles just because they're not mature enough to say "no, f**k off, to some idiot who wants them to try cocaine" ?

Injecting Cocaine?? Is that all the rage now??

Ah Joe have you heard this, ah Joe..

bleg

Condoms can be bought by anybody of any age. There is no limit on their sale. Nothing story.

Liam Byrne

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Injecting Cocaine?? Is that all the rage now??

The fact that normal people know that it isn't is a bad sign in itself.

Heroin, cocaine, whatever......I couldn't give a crap how it's taken and I don't really want to know because I'm not that anxious to appear "cool" and "with it" if that involves being au fait with what idiots do.

Sprrratt

I thought the pharmacies were obliged to give anyone them? Ive been buying since 14?

krudler

Sprrratt wrote: »

I thought the pharmacies were obliged to give anyone them? Ive been buying since 14?

lol you divil

Mint Sauce

Aren't they free to anyone in family planning clinics or is that just in the UK?

Morgan Freeman

Back in my day there was no easy way around it.

I fondly remember the summer of '48. There was a heat wave across the southern states; capable of melting the asphalt on the highway roads.

There was a girl name Layla over on the Mosley plantation, a fine lady with child bearing hips and a smile that warmed the shadows.

We made love one afternoon over by the creek banking onto the Watton farm. A euphoric moment in my young life. I thrusted like a steed and we talked for hours.

9 months later I realised I hadn't seen Layla in quite some time. I'd pass her by usually at the plantation while I delivered chicken wire for farmers.

I got speaking to a fellow named Gorman, a white man. He said that Layla had packed up and taken off one evening, with a child under her arm. Headed for the city as far as I know.

And that was that.

I am still alive and well. Mating does not mean the end of the world, it spurs on the growth.

Kensington

Won't this basically collide with the new proposed child protection legislation?

As in, it's a criminal offence not to pass on any details of child sexual abuse to the gardai.
BUT it is also illegal to have sex below the age of 17 - anyone who does so is automatically guilty of statutory rape and made sign the sexual offenders register?

So, as a pharmacist who sells condoms to someone they suspect not to be of legal age must, by law, report this to the gardai, they're pretty much criminalising the sale of condoms - by legalising it?

Sardonicat

krudler wrote: »

condoms were illegal to sell outside chemists in this country up until 1992, thats just batsh1t insane, and completely illegal before 1978 they had to be prescribed by a doctor and only to married couples.

there should be condom machines in secondary schools, teenagers have sex, always have, always will, better they have easy access to them and reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies and std's than offending parents and the moral brigade

I moved to England in 92, before the law changed, and I broke the first condom machine I found in the student res loo from over use. I was amazed by it! Not the first condoms I'd ever aquired, but the first time I'd used a dispenser of same. I couldn't believe my eyes. I don't know what I expected it to look like, but I wasn't expecting it to be so non-descript, like a tampax machine. I kept feeding it with change til it jammed. I wouldnt mind but i didnt need the bloody things at all. I think I was enjoying the sense of freedom and being allowed to get them when i wanted, where i wanted. The english thought i was mad. Seems pathetic now but it just goes to show how f**king needlessly controlled we were.

Not sure how putting them in schools would go down, though. Maybe we could replace the holy staues with em after the changeover from church control?;)

7sr2z3fely84g5

How many teenage males know if they are underage and have sex with their underage girlfriend,if they got caught,only male will get charged

Run_to_da_hills

The Government has no right in making this decision without first getting approval from the Catholic Church.

Morag

irish-stew wrote: »

Aren't they free to anyone in family planning clinics or is that just in the UK?

That is only in the uk.

bleg

Article is not about condoms. It's about hormonal and other forms of contraception.

Pete M.

Morgan Freeman wrote: »

Back in my day there was no easy way around it..

WTF

So you have some b@stard child running around out there? Will they get the Morgan millions?

And did you ask colour the baba was? Could have been that white buck Gorman that got her blocked :pac:

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

God be with the days an oul hand shandy would have done

Ever heard of a posh w@nk?

Morag

bleg wrote: »

Article is not about condoms. It's about hormonal and other forms of contraception.

Which currently if a 16 year old says to their dr they want a prescription for the dr will give them it. Many teens see the dr themselves and pay for it or see the dr alone and the parents pay for it and the teen fills the prescription of the pill themselves with out the parents knowing.

It's a grey area which needs to be sorted out and this will do that, the age of consent laws are also currently a joke and need to be sorted out, hopefully the government will do both in one go.

MrStuffins

Liam Byrne wrote: »

The fact that normal people know that it isn't is a bad sign in itself.

Heroin, cocaine, whatever......I couldn't give a crap how it's taken and I don't really want to know because I'm not that anxious to appear "cool" and "with it" if that involves being au fait with what idiots do.

hahahaha, this post was hilarious! For some reason I read the second part in Grandpa Simpson's voice!

PseudoFamous

I remember me and my friends were GIVEN condoms at an Ireland-Cyprus match when we were 14. The pranks that were had.

MrStuffins

PseudoFamous wrote: »

I remember me and my friends were GIVEN condoms at an Ireland-Cyprus match when we were 14. The posh **** that were had.

FYP

wonderfulname

bleg wrote: »

Article is not about condoms. It's about hormonal and other forms of contraception.

Figured as much, generally age restricted items are not found in a restroom dispenser.

Other forms of contraception can have more uses than just contraceptive though, this isn't something which can or should be gotten around to suit a few prudes, if they push that line I'm willing to bet it becomes a women's rights thing, selective restriction of health products and all that.

TheReverend

I wasnt even aware that there was a minimum age, why is there even a minimum age?

Sticky_Fingers

TheReverend wrote: »

I wasnt even aware that there was a minimum age, why is there even a minimum age?

It seems the holier rollers would rather see a baba under some young ones arm then a hat on a young lads jimmy.
Adults seem to forget how retarded teenagers can be, they talk about abstinence and responsibility but fail to realize that teenage sex has being going on since Adam and Eve and doesn't look like it is ever going to go out of fashion.

People should keep in mind that kids are generally bloody stupid, we should at least try and help them protect themselves from their own mistakes, lord knows many of us committed the exact same ones at their age and barely got away with it

PseudoFamous

Sticky_Fingers wrote: »

It seems the holier rollers would rather see a baba under some young ones arm then a hat on a young lads jimmy.
Adults seem to forget how retarded teenagers can be, they talk about abstinence and responsibility but fail to realize that teenage sex has being going on since Adam and Eve and doesn't look like it is ever going to go out of fashion.

Remember kids are generally bloody stupid, we should at least try and help them protect themselves from their own mistakes, lord knows many of us committed the exact same ones at their age and barely got away with it

The best part is your username.