# So, you're at the pharmacy and a young person asks you to buy something... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155 "2012-02-08T03:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/1 "2012-02-08T03:30:13Z")
This time with a proper poll. Sorry _Ellen_! I’ll pay attention next time. Again based on the ABC program “What Would You Do?”, which I can’t get enough of. Wish we had it over here because it would be interesting to see the results. They set up two scenarios in a pharmacist. [In the first](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IyWd615ErI&feature=related) a young lad approaches a shopper. He says that he’s 15 and wants to make his relationship with his girlfriend a sexual one so needs some condoms, and wants the shopper to buy them for them. [In the second](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPWsLAEujmI&feature=related), a girl approaches a shopper saying that she’s 18 (she has some ID if you need it) and needs “Plan B”, a (which I’d never heard of but which is apparently a morning-after pill) after not using protection. Again, she wants the shopper to buy the item for her. They can’t get the items themselves because the pharmacist knows them and their family and they’re scared that their mother will find out. Replace the shopper with your good self. What would you do? I’ve separated the poll into genders to see if there’s any difference. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/2 "2012-02-08T03:38:04Z")
tell 'em both to get stuffed. the kid can go to a different store and get his own goddamn rubbers; you can get them at pretty much any convenience store and nobody there will give a shit. she can find a different pharmacy. No need for either of them to involve other people. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/3 "2012-02-08T03:40:07Z")
I’d buy them both. Better for them to be protected than to make it unnecessarily difficult to get contraception, and increase the likelihood of transmission of STDs or pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/4 "2012-02-08T03:43:15Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > I’d buy them both. Better for them to be protected than to make it unnecessarily difficult to get contraception, and increase the likelihood of transmission of STDs or pregnancy. Yeah, better to do it. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/5 "2012-02-08T03:43:53Z")
If you’re mature enough to have sex, you should be mature enough to hold your head high and purchase contraception. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/6 "2012-02-08T03:46:19Z")
Oh, and in the poll, “lad” should obviously read “lass” when it comes to the morning after pills options. :smack: Don’t think the mods would appreciate a third try at the poll, but you’re intelligent people so I think you can twig what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/7 "2012-02-08T03:46:19Z")
I can understand a fifteen year old having trouble getting up the nerve plus I would think he might get some flack from the store due to his age even if it’s legal. Besides, a boy that age thinking about protection? Outstanding! Eighteen year old girl-old enough to have had protection plus I’m not buying a non-OTC\* medicine for anyone, she’s old enough to do it on her own. She’s an adult, act like one. \*I know it’s not Rx but it’s not on the shelves either. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/8 "2012-02-08T03:48:30Z")
> [@lisacurl](#): > > If you’re mature enough to have sex, you should be mature enough to hold your head high and purchase contraception. Yes, and I should be given $5,000 every morning just for gracing the world with my awesomeness, but as usual there is a large gap between what should be and what is. To answer the question, I’d buy the condoms but not the pills because in the extremely unlikely event that the girl had some adverse medical reaction to the pills, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for that. Although I would ask her if she wanted me to drive her to Planned Parenthood or something. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/9 "2012-02-08T03:51:45Z")
Assuming I knew nothing about these kids and their families or situations - I would refuse on both counts. If they’re old enough to have sex, they ought to be old enough to figure out how to buy condoms or manage an unwanted pregnancy without approaching random strangers in the store. If they’re functional at all, they will either have the heuvos to do this themselves, or will know someone who can do it for them. Besides, since I’m a skeptical sort, how am I supposed to know if they’re actually telling me the truth? Since they’re apparently (in both cases) fine with sneaking around and lying to begin with. Just, no. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/10 "2012-02-08T03:59:11Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > If they’re old enough to have sex, they ought to be old enough to figure out how to buy condoms or manage an unwanted pregnancy without approaching random strangers in the store. Since they’re evidently not, do you really want to risk them breeding? Oh, should have mentioned in the OP (not doing well today); as per the vids in the OP they’ll give you the cash so you’re not out of pocket. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/11 "2012-02-08T04:05:31Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Since they’re evidently not, do you really want to risk them breeding? > > . I’d prefer they not - but not my responsibility. They’re the ones having sex, it’s their responsibility. Not anyone else’s. Certainly not mine. It’s remotely possible I would be willing to purchase condoms for a teenager I didn’t know (of either gender) but morning after pills - no way. As **MsWhatsit** said - there’s possibility of adverse reaction (I have, many moons ago, taken the morning after pill and it’s not really fun times) and I wouldn’t want that responsibility either. Although I’d be happy to take the kid to Planned Parenthood or a clinic for proper evaluation. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/12 "2012-02-08T04:22:07Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Since they’re evidently not, do you really want to risk them breeding? it isn’t that. in the first case, the kid’s a minor, and more importantly _he’s not my child_ so it is absolutely not my place to make that kind of decision on his behalf. further, in pretty much any suburban area I’ve been to or lived in, you can’t spit without hitting the side of a convenience store, so said hypothetical kid could just hike his ass to a different store anyway. Don’t have to be 18 to buy rubbers. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/13 "2012-02-08T04:56:50Z")
I’d spot them the money, but I’d tell them to man up and buy the stuff themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/14 "2012-02-08T06:13:42Z")
My immediate thought would be that they were somehow trying to scam money from me. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/15 "2012-02-08T07:15:34Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > I’d buy them both. Better for them to be protected than to make it unnecessarily difficult to get contraception, and increase the likelihood of transmission of STDs or pregnancy. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/16 "2012-02-08T09:21:44Z")
In my experience, a 15 year old that is too embarrassed to buy condoms is highly likely to simply have sex without them, if nobody is willing to buy the condoms for them. I really can’t see any reason _not_ to buy condoms for a 15 year old, particularly if they are providing the money to do so. More condoms in the hands of teenagers willing to use them is a good thing. I’d probably buy extra condoms with my own money and tell them to pass them out to their buddies. To cite the personal failure of a teenager to be confident enough to buy condoms on their own as a reason to not help them out is an attitude that 1) completely ignores what it was like to be a teenager and 2) begs for more teen pregnancies and higher STI rates. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/17 "2012-02-08T11:11:35Z")
For the pills, it would depend on my mood and how much time I had, because in my experience, buying them takes some time. You have to fill out a little bit of paperwork and tell them when you had unprotected sex, wait for a pharmacist and not a pharmacy tech to be available, etc. And then the girl would be given a package with my name on it, which I’m not all paranoid about but not thrilled either, since it is actually a prescription (in WA, at least a few years ago, it was a prescription written by the pharmacist). I did it for an uninsured friend once, but I don’t know about doing it for a stranger. For the condoms, if he hands me the money and the condoms and I’m about to go buy something anyway, it would be going out of my way to be a jerk if I didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/18 "2012-02-08T11:44:09Z")
> [@lisacurl](#): > > If you’re mature enough to have sex, you should be mature enough to hold your head high and purchase contraception. This is my rationale for not helping them. If you wanna play grown up games, then you gotta act like a grown up. Get your own rubbers, kid. Get your own pills, sister. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/19 "2012-02-08T11:53:21Z")
The boy can just say he’s buying the condoms for his dad, “he’s got someone coming over tonight.” The girl can say the “Plan B” is for her mother because she’s going cruising bars later. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155/20 "2012-02-08T11:55:03Z")
I’d ask for the money first, but I’d be fine with buying either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-youre-at-the-pharmacy-and-a-young-person-asks-you-to-buy-something/612155.md?page=2)