Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the United States in the early 1980s, the issue of sex education for America's youth has captured the nation's attention. There are approximately 400,000 teen births in the United States each year, with approximately $9 billion in associated public costs. The contraction of STDs in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have brought the topic even further to the forefront of the nation's top issues. The approach and method for correct and effective sex education have been the subject of heated debates. Some believe that teaching abstinence only until marriage is the best method, while others believe a more comprehensive approach is needed, including promotion of abstinence and information about contraception. Abstinence-only curricula ignore medical ethics and scientific accuracy and have proven empirically ineffective; therefore, comprehensive sex education programs that are medically accurate, science-based, and empirically proven should be the standard method of sex education for students/children in the United States. The main argument made by most advocates of abstinence-only education is that premarital sex is immoral, is not appropriate, and that abstinence is the only completely effective method of preventing teenage pregnancy and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases. These advocates also point out that condoms are not a safe way to prevent pregnancy and contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Many of the advocates of abstinence-only education believe that educating young people with information regarding sex and contraception will encourage them to begin or increase sexual activity. Such advocates credit the lowering of teen pregnancy to abstinence-only education (Collins, Alagira, and Summers 12-13). Some abstinence advocates also describe...... half of the document ......y Practitioner 84.6 ( 2011): 6. Academic OneFile. Network. April 4, 2012.Sonfield, Adam. “Sex education remains an active battlefield.” Contraceptive Technology Update March 1, 2012. Academic OneFile. Network. April 4, 2012. “Teen Pregnancy Prevention Focused on Evidence: Ineffective Abstinence-Only Lessons Replaced with Science.” The Health of the Nation April 2010: 1+. Academic OneFile. Network. April 4, 2012.Thomas, . “Abstinence-Only Sex Education Statistics: The Final Nail in the Coffin.” Open education: free education for all. NP, Jan. 5, 2009. Web. Apr. 4, 2012 “US Government Should Stop Funding Abstinence-Only Education: Virginity Pledge Is Ineffective.” Reproductive Health Issues November 2009: 223. Academic OneFile. Network. April 4, 2012. “Washington Watch: Advocates Seek Support for 'Real' Sex Education.” Contraceptive Technology Update June 1, 2009. Academic OneFile. Network. April 4. 2012.