No one likes buying condoms. The act, though innocent and perfectly legal, instantly offers an insight into the sexual activity of the purchaser, and, depending on the types of condoms bought, their sexual preferences. And while it’s one thing to march into a store and resolutely buy condoms, as embarrassing as that can be, it’s a whole other thing to have to sheepishly ask an employee for them. At many local CVS stores, that’s exactly what consumers are forced to do.

The Post is reporting today that area CVS stores — among others — have over the last few years started locking away their condoms, forcing customers to ask employees to retrieve their prophylactic of choice from a well-secured glass case. CVS and other chains have claimed that they were forced to implement the lock-away policy in response to high numbers of thefts of certain products, condoms included. CVS has currently taken on the practice in 22 of its 50 stores in the District.

Some sexual health experts have expressed concern with the policy, noting that in a city with such a high incidence of HIV/AIDS (1 in 20 residents in the District is HIV-positive), such practices could dissuade sexually active residents from using the protective measure. In a recent report card on the District’s efforts on HIV/AIDS, the D.C. Appleseed Center for Law and Justice noted that the city was lagging behind in the distribution of free condoms, giving out only 125,000 of a planned 600,000. With CVS and other area stores locking away condoms, especially in poorer areas of the city, should we be more concerned that more and more obstacles are being thrown between residents and the means to secure their sexual health? Not so much, according to the cultural conservatives that always know best:

“I’d rather see them locked up,” said Phil Burress, president of the [Citizens for Community Values]. “It’s a lie that condoms prevent all sexually transmitted diseases anyway. People should be educated about that and practice abstinence.”

As much as that sounds like well-planned public policy, Mr. Burress, we’d rather see people have access to the means to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies without having to resort to celibacy. But that’s just us — those wild-eyed radicals.

Unlock those condoms, CVS!