RCP Logo A few days back a startling report on the increasing use of marijuana in the US reached our ears. Pointing out yet another form of abuse, a team of professionals from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) has disclosed an association between alcohol consumption and bad sexual health, specifically among the youth.

According to the findings, almost 82% of youngsters aged 16 to 30 reportedly consumed alcohol prior to sexual activity. Those who fell under the category of heavy drinkers seemed to be more prone to unprotected sex with many partners.

Approximately, 20% of girls aged 14 to 15 years of age and coming from a white origin admitted to stepping too far sexually under the influence of alcohol. Though these observations are clear highlights, the team believed that nothing much had been done towards combating alcohol abuse by means of sexual health services.

Dr Simon Barton, chair of the RCP’s Alcohol and Sexual Health Working Party, commented, “The links between alcohol use and poor sexual health have been recognised for some time, yet the services available do not reflect this clear association. Failing to discuss alcohol consumption with a patient accessing sexual health services is a missed opportunity.”

This report is specifically targeted at the younger generation as they succumbed to drinking most of the times and also appeared to suffer from sexually transmitted diseases.(STDs) As per statistics, 16 to 24 year old individuals accounted for nearly 12% of the population, but almost half of them were apparently afflicted by STDs.

Of the diseases reported, Chlamydia infected almost 65% of individuals, while 50% of incidences were related to genital warts and 50% youngsters were inflicted by gonorrhea. The team has put forward certain guidelines to improve sexual health among teens and adults that stress the importance of limited drinking, local alcohol services and acknowledged screening tools for drinking habits.

The study is titled Alcohol and sex: a cocktail for poor sexual health.