Adolescence is a period of great changes, both physical and mental. During this time, adolescents go through puberty and make the transition from childhood to emerging childhood. For this reason, the question of whether or not adolescents should have access to contraceptives is highly controversial. Many argue that adolescents are too young to benefit from this privilege, or that allowing them access to contraceptives will make them more likely to pursue sexual activities. However, in today's hyper-sexualized society, it is more beneficial to the public interest to provide adolescents with access to contraception. If adolescents had access to contraceptives, such as Plan B (“the morning after pill”) or the birth control pill, the number of teenage pregnancies would decrease in the country. Furthermore, adolescents are mature enough to make their own decisions, and therefore have the right to use contraceptives. People's greatest concern about making contraceptives available to adolescents is the belief that the availability of this material will result in an increased number of adolescents engaging in sexual activity. In a 2007 survey, 46% of Americans said that “providing adolescent girls with birth control would encourage sexual behavior” (Finer & Philbin, 2013, p. 887). On the other hand, it has been argued that providing adolescents with access to contraception has no effect on adolescent sexual activity. In a recent study, data show that giving girls the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, a form of contraception that helps protect against sexually transmitted diseases, did not increase their sexual activity (Finer and Philbin, 2013, p. 890). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2007), if adolescents are in the middle of the paper, this allows for a reduction in teenage pregnancies and STDs. To protect against unwanted pregnancies and sexual diseases, sexually active adolescents must have access to contraceptives (Bankole and Malarcher, 2010, p. 119). Without access to appropriate and effective contraception, adolescent girls are at higher risk of unintended pregnancies, “background” abortions, and sexual diseases, all of which can be life-threatening conditions. Thus, allowing adolescents to obtain contraceptives will help those who are sexually active and engaged in safer sex.Works CitedPediatrics Vol. 120 No. 5, November 1, 2007. pp. 1135-1148Finer, LB and Philbin, JM (2013). Sexual initiation, contraceptive use and pregnancy among young adolescents. Pediatrics, 131(5), 886-891. Contraception and adolescents. (2007). Pediatrics, 120(5), 1135-1148. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2535