When 7 of 10 say 'no'

This is good news: Fewer Teens Engaging in Sex, Study Finds

WASHINGTON (AP) - Fewer teens are engaging in sexual activity than in the past, and those that do are more likely to use contraceptives, the government said Friday.

The National Center for Health Statistics said that for girls aged 15 to 17 the percentage who had ever had intercourse declined from 38 percent in 1995 to 30 percent in 2002. For boys, the agency said, the decline was 43 percent to 31 percent.

Notice that 7 of 10 of both boys and girls between 15 and 17 are saying "no." The word for that, reviled in some quarters but not here, is abstinence. And it works. As the outgoing Secretary for Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, said:

"More teenagers are avoiding or postponing sexual activity, which can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy or emotional and societal responsibilities for which they are not
prepared."

The numbers are still higher than they should be, but the trend is the right direction.