BALCO effect: Protecting our youths from the dangers of performance enhancing drugs

The use of performance enhancing drugs at the elite level of professional sports is not a new phenomenon. In fact, former bodybuilder and current governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, has admitted to using anabolic steroids in the past. However, the sophistication and potency of such drugs as well as the exposure they have received has exploded over the past 15 years. Media coverage of the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports has grown exponentially as well. Not surprisingly, the demand for these substances has also increased, but not just at the professional level. The number of minors reporting use of anabolic steroids increased from 2.7% to 6.1% between 1991 and 2003. The theme of this year's APHA Conference, Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds and Bodies, implies that grassroots laws and policies have a major impact in achieving healthier communities. Given the fairly common knowledge about the potential dangers of performance enhancing substances, it is safe to say that a high rate of minors using performance enhancing drugs is at odds with an overall healthy community. This presentation examines the steps that individual states have undertaken to address the growing problem of performance enhancing substance abuse. Strong initiatives taken by states, specifically through legislation to form a state-wide policy and school district policies, could have a positive impact on the number of minors who choose not to risk damage to their long term health by refusing to use performance enhancing substances.