pemom
03-19-2009, 04:24 PM
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) — At one time, testing high school athletes for steroids was seen as the best way to fight performance-enhancing drug use among the young. Now, those efforts are losing steam because of high costs and few positive results.
New Jersey, Florida, Texas and Illinois have tried steroid testing since 2006, and an examination of the results by The Associated Press shows that only 20 tests out of 30,799 have come back positive.
That's far short of what one study concluded about use of the drugs that are associated with stunted growth, hormonal problems, strokes and heart ailments. University of Michigan surveys conducted in 2007 and '08 each found 2.2 percent of seniors said they had tried steroids at least once — down from 4 percent in 2002.
Testing advocates argue that results from the four states show the program works as a deterrent. Critics say they show the flaws in how the tests were conducted. Either way, it's becoming harder amid a recession to justify spending up to $200 each on tests that rarely catch cheaters.
Missouri state Sen. Matt Bartle tried to push his colleagues to adopt a statewide high school steroid testing program because he was concerned that young athletes were emulating the bad habits of some professionals.
more..........
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFA5b4KigbSh7KMQXrOVBqe1kVuAD9702N903
New Jersey, Florida, Texas and Illinois have tried steroid testing since 2006, and an examination of the results by The Associated Press shows that only 20 tests out of 30,799 have come back positive.
That's far short of what one study concluded about use of the drugs that are associated with stunted growth, hormonal problems, strokes and heart ailments. University of Michigan surveys conducted in 2007 and '08 each found 2.2 percent of seniors said they had tried steroids at least once — down from 4 percent in 2002.
Testing advocates argue that results from the four states show the program works as a deterrent. Critics say they show the flaws in how the tests were conducted. Either way, it's becoming harder amid a recession to justify spending up to $200 each on tests that rarely catch cheaters.
Missouri state Sen. Matt Bartle tried to push his colleagues to adopt a statewide high school steroid testing program because he was concerned that young athletes were emulating the bad habits of some professionals.
more..........
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFA5b4KigbSh7KMQXrOVBqe1kVuAD9702N903