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Don't want to be saddled with an STI? Wrap it up before you go for a roll in the hay.

Jennifer Parks, Edmonton Journal

In a nation where sexually transmitted infections (STI) are steadily increasing, many of us would rather play Russian roulette with our bodies than be seen in a drugstore buying condoms.

Access to contraception isn't the main barrier today, although if you live in a small town and your aunt works at the drug store, you may face greater challenges.

We live in a culture that has not yet normalized sexuality or condom use by embracing the love glove as an essential household item, like toilet paper or dish soap.

"Most people can afford contraception these days," says Laura Wershler, a spokeswoman for the non-profit group Sexual Health Access Alberta in Calgary.

"If you can go to Starbucks for coffee or Booster Juice for a smoothie, you can afford to buy condoms. It should be on everyone's grocery list."

Given the statistics, we can't afford not to practice safer sex.

Most young people today have sex before the age of 16, and yet condom use has declined over the past decade, says a new study by the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health.

Scarier still: Alberta has lower rates of condom use than the national average, the study states.

Whose responsibility is it to reverse this troubling trend?

Wershler applauds the courage of one mother who keeps a basket of condoms in the bathroom for her teenagers and their friends.

"The condoms don't get counted, and no questions are asked. If kids are going to have sex anyway, we need to empower them to protect themselves," says Wershler.

This is just one mother, one creative example for other parents, schools and community sex educators to learn from. While some good work is already being done in this area, more is needed -- and fast.

Reported STI rates have been steadily increasing since 1997, says the study.

More than two-thirds of new chlamydia cases occur among young people ages 15 to 24, and many instances go undetected because chlamydia often doesn't show symptoms. National syphilis and gonorrhea rates have also risen, and 20 per cent of new HIV cases occur among people under the age of 30.

"We need to talk about the increasing number of cases among young people," says Barbara Romanowski, infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta.

"There is an increase in gonorrhea cases that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. With condom use, we can decrease the risk of all STIs drastically."

Condoms are nearly 100 per cent effective in preventing STIs, but would be 100 per cent effective if condoms were always used correctly, says Romanowski.

"Condoms break because they're not put on right. It's the most common error."

They can also break when there is too little lubrication during intercourse. Nothing kills the heat of the moment like a condom malfunction, followed by the inevitable worries about pregnancy or STIs.

We need to make condoms sexy again, says sexual health educator Brenda Kerber.

"We think condoms are inconvenient, a bother, that they don't feel good. Why not be more positive?" says Kerber, who owns The Travelling Tickle Trunk, a company that hosts home sex-toy parties.

"Use a condom, reduce your worry. It's much more sexy and fun."

The bottom line: always practise safe sex. Respect yourself and your partner. Don't skip the condom unless you're in a monogamous relationship and both of you have been tested for STIs and HIV, and there is mutual trust.

Don't gamble with your body and health. Some games just aren't worth playing.

Safe Sex Tips

- Always make condoms a part of sexual activity. We're animals. We get conditioned. Before long, the sight of a condom will trigger excitement.

- Keep condoms in your purse, bedside and glove compartment, so you can get to them fast. Don't keep them in your wallet, or anywhere they can be damaged.

- If you know you're going to have sex, take the condom out of the package beforehand so it's ready when you are.

- Have your partner put on the condom. It's more fun if someone is touching you, and it keeps the excitement flowing.

- Always squeeze the end of the condom as you're putting it on to leave room for the ejaculate. If not, it could break.

- Put a drop of lube in the tip of the condom for greater sensation. Use only water-based lubricants like KY Jelly, because oil-based products like Vaseline destroy latex.

Source: Brenda Kerber, The Travelling Tickle Trunk