Chlamydia is on the rise in Tauranga and health officials fear some young people are viewing safe sex lessons as "scare tactics" aimed at keeping them from having a good time.
At least 188 people contracted Chlamydia in the Bay of Plenty district between January and March this year.
The figure is up by 24 cases compared to the previous quarter, which was the lowest since 2010.
By comparison, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, genital warts and syphilis have all dropped - although herpes only decreased from 23 cases to 22 this year.
Doctor Lorna Claydon, team leader for Tauranga Hospital's Sexual Health Unit, said there had been an overall fall in the rarer STIs such as gonorrhoea and syphilis.