The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, July 30, 2002, Image 5

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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 5 • Tuesday, July 30, 2002:
T & FOUND
Abstinence is not the only answer
Sex education programs should offer teenagers options besides abstinence
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L ESTATE
JENELLE WILSON
D n May 16, the United States House of Representatives
renewed a proposal from the 1996 Welfare Reform Act pro
viding states with $50 million each year to teach abstinence-
)nly sexual education programs. Before the bill was passed through
he House Energy and Commerce Committee in April, Rep. Lois
■hadow 650VLXe,:. "apps proposed an amendment to the bill stating information used by
he abstinence programs must be medically and scientifically accu-
ate. Her amendment was defeated by a vote of 31-19.
The defeat illustrates the continuing, dangerous trend in the American government of ignoring the
ealities faced by today's youth. While abstinence provides the ultimate protection from sexually
ransmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, it is unrealistic. Half of teenagers ages 15 to
19 have already engaged in sexual intercourse; by the age of 20, 80 percent of males and 76
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Instead of protecting teenagers and young adults, abstinence-only programs put them at
isk by ignoring the fact that they do and will have sex.
Capps offered the amendment because abstinence-only programs use “terror techniques”
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d dining^nciosM: an ^ misleading and inaccurate medical information to keep teens from having sex. For exam
776; pie, condom failure rates are often exaggerated. The Abstinence Clearinghouse website claims
the condom failure rate is over 15 percent, but it neglects to distinguish between failures from
9MMATES | product malfunction and user error.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper and consis
tent male condom usage has a failure rate of two percent. The CDC asserts that prevention
messages must highlight the importance of consistent and correct condom use. However,
abstinence-only programs are limited to talking about condoms only in connection with their
failure rates.
A panel of experts from the CDC, the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug
Administration found that proper condom usage can decrease the risk of HIV infection by up to
85 percent. Fifty percent of new HIV infections occur in the 13 to 24 age group, with most from
sexual transmission. According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United
States, using condoms provides 10,000 times more protection from STD's than not using them,
but abstinence-only programs are preventing this information from getting to teens.
Most teens do not know how to use condoms properly, and abstinence-only programs fail to
address safe and correct usage; they actually discourage condom use. For example, the Choosing
the Best abstinence program states, “For condoms to be used properly, over 10 specific steps must
be followed every time which tends to minimize the romance and spontaneity of the sex act.”
According to a July 2001 Surgeon General's report, abstinence-only programs fail to delay the
onset of sexual activity, decrease the frequency of sex or increase use of contraceptives. A similar
report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released in April said federally
funded abstinence programs do not have any significant impact on unwanted pregnancy rates or
STD transmission. Yet, since 1997, abstinence-only programs have received almost $500 million
in federal funding. The Bush administration has proposed $135 million in funding for these same
ineffective programs in 2003.
Studies by the Journal of the American Medical Association and the National Campaign to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy have shown the effectiveness of comprehensive sexual education programs,
which cover abstinence and proper contraceptive use. According to the World Health Organization,
tee is “no support for the contention that sex education encourages sexual experimentation or
^creased activity. If any effect is observed, almost without exception, it is in the direction of post
poned initiation of sexual intercourse and/or effective use of contraceptives.” However, despite their
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proven success, comprehensive sexual education programs receive no funding.
In the early 20th century, condom use was discouraged because it was thought that anyone risking
a venereal disease should suffer the consequences. Abstinence-only programs are perpetuating the
same hateful position by ignoring sexually active teenagers.
Abstinence-only programs are not about trying to keep teenagers safe; they are about trying to
legislate morality. These programs purposely exclude gays and lesbians by teaching that a monog
amous marriage is the standard of human sexual activity.
Young woman with unplanned pregnancies are told that their only option is adoption.
Abstinence-only programs will not even discuss masturbation.
Teenagers who engage in sexual activity are not immoral or irreligious; they are simply une
ducated about sex. Teens deserve access to proper, accurate and unbiased information about
sex, which abstinence-only programs fail to provide.
Jenelle Wilson is a junior
political science major.
RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION
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FDA made a mistake
T he U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)
approved Xyrem, also
known as GHB, for the treat
ment of narcolepsy, an uncon
trollable sleep disorder.
Because of the dangerous potential of this
drug, the FDA should not allow the pro
duction and sale of GHB.
GHB hit the bar scene in the 1990s as
the “date-rape drug” and quickly became a
dangerous tool that led to numerous rapes
and overdoses. GHB was originally a col
orless and odorless drug manufactured as a
surgical anesthetic because of its ability to
depress breathing and cause a coma-like
state. In 2000, the Drug Enforcement
Administration toughened the law on the
Illegal use of GHB, adding jail time to
a Pprehended users and distributors.
HealthScoutNews.com said after several
studies. Orphan Medical, the company
approved to produce Xyrem and responsi
ble for regulating the dangerous drug,
found improvements in 448 narcolepsy
Patients. The FDA and Orphan Medical
have devised a system which they think
W >11 control Xyrem. However, no system,
no matter how well planned, will be suffi-
oient in controlling Xyrem when there is an
'llegal and lucrative market for the drug.
Orphan Medical said the drug will be dis
tributed through only one pharmacy. The
Patients, who are closely monitored by
their physician, will receive Xyrem via
Federal Express.
Although it is a good first step, the
FOA’s plan to control Xyrem is weak.
Supplying patients Xyrem by mail opens
the threat of mail fraud and tampering. It is
also difficult to control whether the patient
jMually receives their treatment. Orphan
Medical is limited to how closely they can
AND!BACA
regulate a patient from selling
or abusing their supply of
Xyrem.
Despite its attempts to reg
ulate Xyrem, the regulations
will create a more convenient
source of the drug for illegal users.
Increasing the circulation of Xyrem
increases the drug’s availability for users
and sellers. As more Xyrem becomes avail
able, the safety of the public becomes a
concern. HealthScoutNews.com said GHB
has lead to at least 58 documented deaths
and over 5,700 reported overdoses in the
United States. While Xyrem might be a
necessary treatment for someone suffering
from narcolepsy, it is not ready to be pro
duced in the United States. Controlling
Xyrem is risky and costly.
The effectiveness of Xyrem for nar
coleptic patients is not dependable enough
to risk manufacturing it. Narcolepsy affects
over 120,000 Americans, but this is not a
definite cure for the disease. Orphan
Medical said Xyrem is 70 percent effective.
Patients can also experience severe side-
effects, including depressed breathing, con
fusion, depression and nausea. Xyrem is a
risky drug that has led to dependence,
including cravings for medicine and severe
withdrawal symptoms, according to
HealthScoutNews.com. The FDA should
require more testing of Xyrem to ensure
greater safety for patients.
The FDA should reconsider allowing
Orphan Medical to manufacture Xyrem.
There is simply not a large enough medical
need for this drug to risk the potentially
harmful effect it could have on this coun
try. As long as there is an illegal market for
this drug, people will find a way to get
Audi Baca is a senior
journalism major.
Competent to stand trial
Z acarias Moussaoui was
declared mentally competent
by a federal judge last week
and allowed to represent himself
after pleading guilty to four of six
counts of indictment for conspiracy
regarding the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks. But the defense team appointed to repre
sent Moussaoui, headed by Frank Dunham, Jr.,
thinks otherwise. Despite outrageous remarks by
the defendant, including accusations of conspira
cy on the part of the defense team and U.S.
District Judge Leonie Brinkema, Moussaoui
should be allowed to take his life into his own
hands and refuse a court-appointed defense.
According to Foxnews.com, Moussaoui was
retained on immigration concerns in August after
trying to buy lessons on a flight simulator for jet
liners at a Minnesota flight school. He attended
Airman Flight School in Norman, Okla., the previ
ous spring but failed to acquire a license. After
Sept. 11, Moussaoui, who was still in custody, was
moved to New York and held as a material witness.
In December 2001, Moussaoui was indicted
by a grand jury on six counts of conspiracy, four
of which could carry a death sentence. In April,
he fired his court-appointed defense team and
demanded the right to represent himself with the
help of a Muslim legal advisor. Moussaoui
believes the court-appointed defense team is part
of a conspiracy to have him executed. With the
defense team kept on stand-by, Brinkema allowed
Moussaoui to represent himself, but she fears his
grasp of the law is shaky.
Last month, in an arraignment on a revised
indictment, Moussaoui was forced to enter a plea.
He pleaded no contest, repeating the actions of
the judge who was forced to enter no contest for
him in January when he originally refused to
enter any plea at all. Brinkema, who believes
Moussaoui may not really understand what he is
doing, entered a not guilty plea for him.
Prosecutors have been steadily working at
specifying what conduct would warrant the death
penalty. Topping that list would be direct involve
ment with the Sept. 11 attacks. Moussaoui has
JAMIE DUFF
already admitted to being involved
with al-Qaeda, but that does not
make him liable for what happened
on Sept. 11. Brinkema gave him an
extra week to think about his plea
and entered a not guilty plea for him
after Moussaoui attempted to plead
guilty and declare his loyalty to Osama bin
Laden. Defense attorneys do not believe
Moussaoui understands what he is pleading
guilty to.
Just last week, Moussaoui again pleaded
guilty to four of the six counts against him, but
then changed his mind after arguing with the
judge. He did not understand that his plea would
be interpreted as direct involvement with the
Sept. 11 attacks. In an online interview with Fox
News’ John Gibson, Ed MacMahon, one of
Moussaoui’s appointed defense attorneys, said he
thinks “Moussaoui is gravely confused about a
lot of things, and one of them is the scope of
conspiracy law.”
MacMahon told Gibson that since Moussaoui
refuses help, “you just work on what the govern
ment’s giving you, and try to find out whether the
government actually has any evidence that could
sustain a conviction in this case.”
Moussaoui has met with a New York law pro
fessor and attorney with the American-Muslim
Council in a session specially arranged by
Brinkema. He is determined to represent himself.
He is a prisoner in a country he openly declares
as an enemy. He sees himself in a lose-lose situa
tion and is convinced there is no way out. Having
convinced himself the entire court system is con
spired in a plot to have him executed, Moussaoui
trusts himself as his only ally.
The court systems in America provide
appointed counsel to everyone because it is the
American belief that you are innocent until
proven guilty. If any man wants to refuse free
advice, then by all means, let him.
Jamie Duff is a senior
English major.