As TP blogger Gina Telaroli mentioned last week, British youth are being encouraged to have sex.  Since her post, England’s National Health Service has released a pamphlet promoting orgasms for physical and mental health. The leaflets heading read ‘an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away’ and said ‘Health promotion experts advocate five portions of fruit and veg a day and 30 minutes physical activity three times a week. What about sex or masturbation twice a week?’ The pamphlet which has been circulated to parents, teachers and youth workers also said regular sex is good for cardiovascular health. The NHS claims that in sex education, too much focus has been put on safe sex and not enough attention has been placed on teaching people about the pleasure sex can bring.

Agreed! Sex education for teens is often all about the dangers of sex, but what about the joys of sex? I mean, sex is inevitable for most people, why not teach them about the good side of sex rather than just the scary stuff?

But not everyone agrees, Dr Trevor Stammers, of the pressure group Family and Youth Concern, told The UK Daily Mail that the leaflet would “encourage ‘risky’ behaviour and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.” Stammers said “It is unbelievable that this is being sent to schools. I’d like to know what scientific evidence there is to back this up. There are an awful lot of overpaid and under-occupied health promotion officers around who are obsessed with sex.” He also said inciting underage sex was “nothing less than encouraging child abuse”.

(Cartoon courtesy of blackscientist)