Town May Make Carrying Condoms Mandatory

A councilman in the western Colombian city of Tulua wants to make it mandatory for everyone in the town of 14 years of age or older to carry a condom.

Councilman William Pena of Tulua said he will present a formal proposal to force all men and women � even those just visiting � to always carry at least one condom. Those caught empty-pocketed could pay a fine of $180 or take a safe sex course, he said.

"Sexual relations are going on constantly", Pena said. "If you carry a condom, chances are you'll use it during the day. It's not going to be there forever".

Tulua has one of the highest rates of AIDS in Colombia, he cited. The proposal will be debated by other town leaders and could go into effect by March, he said.

Roman Catholic priests in nearby town were outraged with the plan. A Reverend believed it would instead only encourage sexual relations, and said: "I would have to have a condom even though I'm clergy". Another priest said he that improved sex education would be a better solution. "Nobody can force someone to carry a condom in their pocket," he said. "They should instead carry the responsibility of what sexual relations mean".

A local 19-year said that the proposal was the talk of the town, and most young people he has talked to support it. The proposal is quite radical and one of a series of pro-condom efforts across a country where 190,000 people live with AIDS.

One such effort was in the capital city of Bogota where more than two million free condoms were handed out last year as part of a campaign. Another was in the city of Tunja condom dispensers would be installed in bars and movie theaters starting next month.

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