Sports:

Steroid Use in Highschool - Sports

Background Information

High school is a very stressful period for teenagers around the world. It is the end of most of their athletic careers and the pressure to win and succeed, or even get a college scholarship, is at an all time high. These competetive pressures force many of these student-athletes to resort to steroids ands other illegal performance enhancing drugs.

Steroids are a growing problem in allcountries of the world, especially the US. An estimated 4% to 12% of US high school boys and up to 3.3% of high school girls have used anabolic steroids. A study by Buckley et al3 found that 6.6% of male high school seniors had tried steroids, with 67% initiating use by 16 years and 40% using multiple cycles. These findings were later confirmed in studies of Indiana high school football players, as well as a 2003 Centers for Disease Control report. Prevalence studies extend to middle school populations as well. A 1993 study of Modesto, California, seventh graders reported an overall use rate of 3.8%. These findings correlated with a later study out of Massachusetts that found a usage rate of 2.7% in studentsbetween 9 and 13 years (healio.com). Not only are taking these drugs illegal in high school sports, they also can be very dangerous to the human body, causing cancer and even symptons of addiction.

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<8>kolovoza 2010. Godine Roberta F.
To overcome this issue, the teens should remember the real reason why they’re playing the sport which is to have fun.  They shouldn't engage if their teammates are using the illegal drugs, but if they are already taking the drugs, they should immediately stop. If they cannot quit on their own, they should then seek help through rehabilitation services.