PAGE 10, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL8,19U7 Localreaction is mixed to condom ads on tube Members of the Whitby medical profession have mixed feelings about the controversial issue of presenting condom advertisements to the public on television. The Telecaster Committee of Canada (TCC), which screens television commercials for private braodcasters, recently rejected three of the four federally spon- sored AIDS - related ads because they say they condone casual sex. Meanwhile, the CBC has reviewed and approved all three of the ads as they feel they are in "good taste." "No matter how you state an ad, you're going to offend somebody," says Dr. Richard Taylor of the recently opened MDM walk-in clinic on Thickson Rd. in Whitby, who is generally in favor of these public advertisements. Dr. Taylor stresses that for those wo are sexually active, tiere is no question of tbe importance of con- dom use. "Especially with the number of people. with syphillis, gonorrhea and venereal disease - they can all be prevented by using a condom." Dr. George Jaciw of tbe Whitby medical centre says hetbas reser- vations about giving airtime to coAdom ads because of their effect on the public. "If it's done indiscriminately, it could offend people from certain religious groups, and 8-year-olds may watcb. " Dr. Jaciw also fears that people may get the idea of "have condom, have fun," whicb is the concern of tbe TCC. "You should hit the population you want to hit. It should be dorie in a tactful way-put more articles in working places and liquor stores, so it reaches only tbe adult population," he suggests. "There should be more talks on T.V. explaining what it (AIDS) is about,. how it's spread, and wbat you can do aboutit." The TCC has accepted one of the four ads, in wbich the. word 'con- dom' is not used, and monogary is promoted, as the setting for the ad is a family scene. According to tbe TCC, the other ads contradict guidelinesoby promoting sex with multiple par- tners, and they feel they may of- fend the public.. "Do you want to be tasteful or deadl"' says Dr. Jean Gray, Durbam medical officer of healtb, in support of condom ads. "We need more public information." Bus shelters in Toronto ill soon be adorned with posters containing public messages about AIDS in an attempt to make more individuals, in particular - heterosexuals, aware of the dangers of certain sexual practices. Education about AIDS will begin in Durham schools the followoing year, an "excellent" decision, ac- cording to Dr. Gray. Whitby residents wbo seek AIDS tests are advised to consult their doctors. "Anyfamily physician will.test it on request,tetxplainsDr.Jaciw. Blood tests are taken at laboratories in the surrounding area, and sent under a code for con- fideñtiality to a public health lab in Toronto. The physician is respon- sible for consulting his patient with the results. Positive test resuits don't necessarily mean the patient has AIDS - some may get the dispase, others may be carriers of it, and pass it on to others. Since records were started in 1982, 944 cases of AIDS have been diagnosed, in Canada. 488 Canadians have died from the disease, and over 50,000 Canadians are carriers. Four cases of AIDS have been diagnosed in Durham Region. "The way the press blows it up, you'd think everybody has got AIDS," says Dr. Taylor, who has not yet heard a request for a test. Some school rent cost recovered The Durham Board of Education has recovered more. than one- quarter of the cost of renting school facilities to the community since the new fee policy was adopted last September. Twenty-three commercial groups, which pay full fees, have rented space since September. Private and social recreational groups, charged partial fees, paid $108,000 of the $222,000 it cost the board to provide evening and weekend use. The third group of user, which uses the facilities at no cost, cost the board $250,000. About $20,000 of that amount was recovered through some fees charged for weekend use. Free use groups include the YM- CA and YWCA, recreation depar- tments in Oshawa, Ajax and Pickering which allow reciprocal free use of municipal facilities such as pools and arenas, and Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. From this group, there are 369 users. Costs to the board for opening facilities on weekday evenings total $7.28 an hour for elementary schools and $12.57 an hour for secondary schools, for heat, light, administration and maintenance. On weekends, the costs are as higb as $47.57 per bour for elemen- tary schools, $57.27 an bour for secondary schools. Noreen Bodnar, community use of schools coordinator for tbe board, says fees will be revised again in September. "There's not going to be any drastic changes," she says. *ikkoens TRANSPARENT SATIN • a satin-gloss, see-through coating for interior wood surfaces • available in clear and several wood tones CENTRAL PAINT & WALLPAPER 295 Ritson Rd. S. Oshawa 728-6809