A condom machine is a

vending machine A vending machine is an automated machine that provides items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and lottery tickets to consumers after cash, a credit card, or other forms of payment are inserted into the machine or otherwise made. The fir ...

for the sale of

condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of in ...

s. Condom machines are often placed in public toilets, subway stations, railway stations and airports as a

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

measure to promote

safe sex Safe sex is sexual activity using methods or contraceptive devices (such as condoms) to reduce the risk of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially HIV. "Safe sex" is also sometimes referred to as safer se ...

. Many pharmacies also keep one outside, for after-hours access. Rare examples exist that dispense internal condoms.

History

Condom vending machines were introduced in 1928 by

Julius Fromm Julius Fromm (4 March 1883 – 12 May 1945) was a Polish-German entrepreneur, chemist, and one of the inventors of the rubber condom and who also made several other elastomeric products such as rubber gloves and hot water bottles. Owing to his Je ...

's company.

Popular culture

In the novel ''

Porterhouse Blue ''Porterhouse Blue'' is a novel written by Tom Sharpe, first published in 1974. A satirical look at Cambridge life and the struggle between tradition and reform, ''Porterhouse Blue'' tells the story of Skullion, the Head Porter of Porterhouse, ...

'', conflict over an attempt to introduce such a device to a Cambridge college, is one of the factors that leads to murder.

Safety Advice

According to the United States

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...

, when using condoms from a machine, one should check the

expiration date An expiration date or expiry date is a previously determined date after which something should no longer be used, either by operation of law or by exceeding the anticipated shelf life for perishable goods. Expiration dates are applied to selecte ...

, that the condoms are

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

and labelled for disease prevention, and that the machine is not exposed to direct sunlight or other source of extreme temperatures.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Condom Machine Vending machines Condoms HIV/AIDS

History

Popular culture

Safety Advice

See also

References