The Crow here for c4ocradio.com

This warning comes at a time when sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention felt obliged to be proactive about the proper use of prophylactics. t may be thrifty, but it’s also dangerous, very dangerous. In a trend worthy of “condomnation,” people are apparently trying to stretch their dollars by reusing old condoms. The CDC released a tweet last week reminding people to not reuse or wash their rubbers. We say it because people do it: Don’t wash or reuse #condoms! Use a fresh one for each #sex act. https://go.usa.gov/xU5vh “Incorrect use, such as reusing a condom or using more than one at a time, diminishes the protective effect of condoms by leading to condom breakage, slippage, or leakage,” some people might think soap and water will kill all of the tiny microorganisms on or inside the condom, but that’s not the case. Torrone said it can only make the latex more prone to tear.

Dr. Elizabeth Torrone, an epidemiologist at the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, said the people who reuse condoms are putting themselves at risk. When condoms are properly used, they can prevent pregnancy, reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and may protect against other diseases like Zika and Ebola that spread, among other ways, through sexual contact. The warning comes at a time when STDs are on the rise, according to the CDC’s national 2016 STD Surveillance Report. In the highest number recorded in 2016,  more than two million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Whether the CDC’s warning actually influences people to not reuse condoms remains to be seen.

The Crow is a contributing writer for http://c4ocradio.com/listenlive

Contributors to this article:

http://Huffpost.com

go.usa.gov/xU5vh

Division of STD Prevention

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

2016 STD Surveillance Report