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highest rate of teen pregnancy of the westernized countries, we too are among those with the highest age level in consent laws, with our average at 16 and edging toward 17. The age of consent is 14 in both Germany and Italy, and their teen pregnancy rates are one-quarter and one-seventh that of ours respectively. And in Japan where the age of consent is 13 the percentage is even less, being around one-eighth.

Now I don't mean to imply that we should let our kids run rampant having sex at the age of 13 and 14, but am only trying to prove a point that in nations where they don't make taboo what we American adults may consider "vice", they have less of a problem in all areas. Where we restrict even our war veterans under the age of 21 from being able to buy a beer in a bar so too do we have a high rate of alcoholism, whereas the countries that have no drinking age have far less an issue with the disease. We can see that in countries that don't try keeping their biological urges locked behind parental denial and fear, their struggles with teenage pregnancy and STD's are easy compared to our own.

Instead of plugging our ears, slamming our eyes shut, and yelling to drown away the "evil word" that is truth, we need to first come to terms with the reality that teenagers will have sex, whether we like it or not. Then we might be able to teach our children how to be responsible with their actions at a much younger age, as opposed to dumping them into "adulthood" on the final day of their senior year in high school. Truly, the only words needing to be drowned away are "More money, please," coming from the abstinence crowd, as that money would be far better spent on comprehensive sex education programs for our teens. One that starts with saying, "Just say no', but since many of you won't listen and will have sex anyway, this is what you need to know, and here are some tools to help."

Learn more about this author, Brian Burns.
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