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Condom Nation: AIDS Group Giving Out Millions of Free Condoms in 20 States Over 6 Months

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Photo by robertelyov via Flickr.

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Today is International Condom Day, and no better day to kick off the Condom Nation tour, as an 18-wheeler departs on a six-month-long 20 state tour to distribute millions of free condoms.

Condom Nation is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and will feature advocates with "cigarette girl"-style trays of free condoms to hand out to all they encounter in their various stops. The tour starts off today in Venice Beach with a press conference at 1:30 and the truck pulling out at around 2 p.m.

Here's what's ahead for the Condom Nation tour, via AHF:

Oakland, CA (2/17/12); Las Vegas, NV (2/21/12 - 2/25/12 condom distribution and testing events on 2/23 and 2/25 with local partners: South Nevada Health District Office of AIDS and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) Phoenix, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Ft. Worth, TX (3/13-3/14, condoms and testing) Dallas, TX (3/15 - 3/16 condom + testing); San Antonio, TX (probably 3/18-3/20) Baton Rouge, LA; Jackson, MS; Atlanta, GA (4/18-4/20 condom and testing with groups Citywide and ACT NOW!) St. Petersburg, FL; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Fayetteville, NC and other locations still to be worked out with the Condom Nation Tour culminating in Washington, DC on July 22, 2012—where AHF is also spearheading the ‘Keep the Promise’ on HIV/AIDS Treatment March on Washington on July 22nd.

AHF President Michael Weinstein calls the Condom Nation tour "a serious, yet somewhat whimsical and creative effort" by the group to promote increased condom use.

The group was also a major proponent of the recent legal action to have the City of L.A. held responsible for ensuring adult entertainment performers comply with state regulations about workplace safety by wearing condoms during the filming of adult movies.

You can catch the Condom Nation truck on the Venice Beach Boardwalk at Oceanfront Walk and Windward Ave (Windward Plaza) from Noon until 2 p.m. today.

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