Outrage at Durex for kids

Condoms for 13-year-olds could soon be on sale in Britain - sparking outrage. The new-style contraceptives hit the shelves in Germany yesterday and makers Durex want to launch them in the UK next year. But campaigners were furious last night over the move, claiming it will fuel an under-age sex boom.

The condom is 49mm wide - compared to the 52mm standard version - and is easier to put on. Durex say it is designed for the younger, less experienced users. A spokesman said: "It is aimed at youths between 13 and 16, where a not insignificant number engage in unprotected sex." The average British teens first have sex at 15. And we have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.

Matthew O'Gorman, of Christian charity LIFE, blasted the launch as "sick and irresponsible". He added: "We know that teenagers engage in risky behaviour. If it's messing around on roads or taking drugs, we teach them not to - because it's bad for them. But when it comes to sex, we do the opposite - by throwing condoms at the problem." One fear is over whether condoms provide adequate protection against sexually transmitted infections. But the Family Planning Association welcomed the move, adding: "All initiatives that promote young people to have safe sex should be encouraged."

source: 'Outrage at Durex for kids' by Emma Morton; www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006330430,00.html; The Sun Online; 2006