11 February 2005
No Rubba, No Hubba Hubba message important on Valentines Day
Valentines Day is all about loving and giving - just make sure you don?t give your partner a bit more than they
bargained for, says No Rubba, No Hubba Hubba project manager Sally Hughes from the Ministry of Health.
Traditionally people give flowers, cards, chocolates and other gifts on Valentines Day. Unfortunately they can also give
something thats not so pleasant a sexually transmitted infection. Since last Valentines Day, more than four thousand
teenagers have contracted chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
The Hubba television commercials, developed with strong input from 15 to 19 year olds, encourage sexually active young
people to always use a condom?. Campaign materials also discuss the wider issues of youth sexual health such as the
consequences of having sex. Young people are encouraged to think carefully about the sexual decisions they make. The
Hubba website www.hubba.co.nz has had over 2.3 million hits since it was launched in late November.
Sally Hughes says that reported cases of chlamydia have increased by 65 percent over the past five years. In 2003, there
were 4485 cases of chlamydia diagnosed at sexual health clinics. If left untreated, STIs can result in infertility,
cancer, and other chronic diseases.
So while we wish all young people a great Valentines Day, we encourage those who are sexually active to add condoms into
the usual mix of hearts and flowers. The message is simple No Rubba, No Hubba Hubba.
ENDS