Those Things Eventually Expire You Know

New Yorkers’ wallets are bulging but it’s not a sign of a more robust economy:

The city distributed 5 million free condoms in the month after it unveiled a new subway-themed wrapper earlier this year.

That was triple the number of condoms the city gave away in the month before the Valentine’s Day launch of the brightly colored package.

“The NYC Condom is a sensation,” the city’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden said yesterday.

According the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 800 establishments, including bars, theaters, and restaurants requested the free condoms between February 14 and March 14.

Look for the Department to partner with the Parks Department to determine how many of these have actually been used.

Meanwhile, the New York Post’s Carl Campanile must be publicly rebuked for composing this lede:

The city’s free subway-themed condoms have rubbed New Yorkers the right way — a staggering 5 million have been handed out since Valentine’s Day, the Health Department said yesterday.

Earlier: Next Up, The Newark Condom.

Location Scout: The Ramble.