Background All adolescents should have regularly scheduled visits with an experienced health professional for routine risk reduction counseling. Information on postponing sexual involvement, contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, should be provided as appropriate. This paper describes how a color coded chart may be used to simplify communication of this important data to young adults. Methods The various methods of contraception available to adolescents are listed on a one page chart which is used to facilitate sexuality counseling. The nine categories included are as follows: “saving sex,” birth control pills, condoms, cervical cap and diaphragm, vaginal sponge, other over the counter products for vaginal insertion (foam, cream, jelly, suppositories, etc), Depo-provera, Norplant and the “rhythm method” or withdrawal. A color coded scale is used to rate each item for reliability, side effects, disease prevention convenience, and cost. The best rating is green for good, followed by yellow for fair and red for poor. Special consideration is also given to “emergency contraception.” Results Over the past two years this instrument has been used as a starting point for teaching our adolescent patients about important sexuality concerns. Teenagers are very familiar with the comparison of the rating scale to a traffic light and can easily understand the implications of the color code. The benefits and drawbacks of available options are readily seen in contrast on the one page chart. It becomes quickly apparen to the patients that “saving sex” is the only item with a green rating for all of the categories listed. This format also highlights the fact that all methods are given a red rating for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases except “saving sex” which is given a green and the use of condoms which is given a yellow. The availability of “emergency contraception” and circumstances under which it should be considered are also stressed. Use of the chart is supplemented by patient care handouts, educational videotapes, and samples of contraceptive items when appropriate. Conclusion A color coded chart appears to be a very useful tool for educating adolescents about important sexuality concerns. This format is a simple, fast, and easily understood method for explaining the pros and cons of various methods of contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The advantages of “saving sex” and the fact that there is no such thing as “safe sex” are highlighted with this teaching instrument. Clinicians can rapidly focus on these and other fundamental principles of sexuality counseling, such as the use of “emergency contraception,” as they review this material with their young adult patients. The information provided can also serve as a basis for further discussion as indicated.