PARIS - France will begin giving free condoms in pharmacies for people ages 18 to 25 starting January 1, in a bid to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
Mr. Macron said it was a small revolution for prevention, as he announced the news during a health debate with young people in western France.
The move comes after health authorities have noticed an increase in sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea in recent years. It is part of a larger public health campaign that has led France to expand free access to contraception and screening for sexually transmitted diseases.
According to reports from French news outlets present at the debate, Macron said that there was a real issue regarding the sexual health of young people. He acknowledged that we are not good at this topic when it comes to sex education.