“Why are people afraid to buy condoms? Why is there a stigma behind safe sex? If you’re getting laid, it’s not a bad thing,” Eric Ward, program coordinator for Eastern Michigan University’s Wellness Center, said.
When asked, students spoke out with enthusiasm about the need for convenient contraceptives.
“I think they should be in every dorm. Saying people don’t have sex is unrealistic,” Ashley Attar, a junior at EMU, said.
According to Nick Coffin, an EMU student, “I’m all for having condom machines. I think they should have them everywhere. I don’t even think they should charge for them. People have sex. We’re in college now.”
But what about vending machines with condoms and the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill?
On Shippenburg’s University of Pennsylvania campus, a vending machine dispenses condoms, pregnancy tests and the Plan B
pill, which prevents pregnancy if consumed within a short period after unprotected intercourse, offering students easy access to pregnancy and STD prevention.
Attar said she’s “all for it. I agree it’s not something we should abuse but it’s important to have it available to people.
Having it in vending machines means you don’t have to talk to people to get contraceptives. But I also think knowing the risks is important. You can’t just take Plan B all the time. Talking to a pharmacist can be very beneficial.”
According to Ward, “An interesting part of the vending machine idea is access. One thing I’m not crazy about is that just
because contraceptives are there doesn’t mean people know how to use them. Many people have heard about condoms but have never touched one or learned how to put one on. I would hope there are rudimentary instructions that come along with every purchase.”
While a contraceptive vending machine might offer more accessibility for students, “I don’t think access is a problem for us [at EMU],” Ward said.
With the stigma surrounding sexual education, being informed can be a difficult task. Ward suggests we increase familiarity through conversation.
“We value open communication,” Ward said. “The vending machine is a step in the right direction but there should be follow up conversation. You should be able to talk to people about what the options are.”
Coffin postulates that “maybe interacting with a pharmacist is what keeps people from using Plan B when they need it.”
However, being able to talk to a professional could prevent someone from ingesting something potentially harmful for them or misusing a contraceptive, making it ineffective.
“To get the prescription you have to have had a conversation about whether or not this is right for you,” Ward said.” A professional knows their client. The machine will be lacking in that way. There are so many different options for birth control and STI prevention, but a vending machine only gives A, B and C.”
In addition to that, a piece of paper with instructions won’t be able to discuss with you the effect the Plan B pill might have on you personally.
“Whenever you ingest things into your body that’s not natural, you have to ask how is that going to interact with the medications you’re already taking,” Ward said.
Aside from potential health risks that arise from lack of information, morals might be an issue that makes the availability of contraceptives so controversial. According to John Q. Adams, a junior at EMU, morals should not be an issue when making contraceptives available to a student body.
“It is a person’s individual right to decide what to do for themself. If you don’t want to use the contraceptives then you don’t have to. People have strong morals and values and they change over time. It’s fluid and ever changing. Having something available for everyone can be beneficial for sexual health. If anything, they’re just having more protected sex.”
Having Plan B more readily available could offer young women more control of their sexuality. “Most women, at least the women I know, would feel really empowered by it,” Attar said.
According to a 2011 survey by the American College Health Association, 9.7 percent of EMU students said they had used Plan B emergency contraceptive. However, only 19.2 percent of Eastern students reported always using a condom during vaginal intercourse, while 28.5 percent reported to have never used a condom during vaginal intercourse.
Is it possible that we should be more concerned about the epidemic of ignorance at Eastern than with actual STIs.
According to the American College Health Association, 74 percent of Eastern students did not receive information on
pregnancy prevention, and 62.4 percent did not receive information on STI prevention. An overwhelming majority did not receive information on sexual health, nor did they want to. 78 percent of students on Eastern’s campus did not want to
receive information on pregnancy prevention and 69.3 percent of students did not want to receive information on STI prevention.
Students are not taking advantage of opportunities to be informed on STIs, and according to Ward, “I don’t know a lot of people who examine a penis thoroughly before having intercourse,” and just looking at the genitals is not the same as being able to detect an STI in instances where a carrier might be asymptomatic.
When facing a crisis or seeking more information, one might feel wary approaching the on-campus health clinic and not know what to expect.
According to Ward, “I think it’s tough for students to go in anywhere and take ownership of their health. I’d like to think they have a positive experience at the campus clinic. We treat them professionally and care about their health. We don’t beat you up about what you do but we do want to talk to you about ways to reduce risk. We let you set the goal. I’ve heard everything under the sun. Nothing surprises me anymore.”
Birth control, gynecological exams and condoms are available at 219 Snow Health Center, as well as free HIV testing, affordable STD screening and pharmaceutical confidentiality. To make an appointment, call 734-487-1122.
