While some people in and out of sports advocate legalizing drugs, I say it could wreck professional sports. Don’t do it!

I’m writing primarily about baseball. There are so many arguments against legalizing drugs it shouldn’t even be an issue, but it is, believe me.

Here’s the steroid-using player's side:  Players can see the positive results they’ve experienced from using steroids and HGH: Bigger, stronger, bodies; more energy; greater endurance; a feeling of power and dominance on the diamond; and, finally, what it does to their public persona and sex lives.

But do you realize that when players use artificial testosterone, which is what steroids amount to, the body changes are manifold and dangerous: Their testicles sometimes shrink to marble-size; some users develop female-like breasts; constant use of steroids or other drugs affects the body by changing the molecular makeup of soft tissue and the bone system - a major problem if kids take these drugs because it could permanently stunt their growth; steroids shorten one’s life – one of my good friends, a baseball player who used drugs to bulk up, died at age 50; drug use often leads to heart, thyroid, kidney and other problems; and they are definitely addictive – meaning it’s hard to break the habit, and many players never were able to do so and  died early.

Even Manny Rameriz had to take a supplemental drug when he went off steroids to help him tapper down. That’s what the MLB detected when they found his blood contained  drug traces, not steroids per se. There’s a new book out called A-Rod which I’m reading. After I've fully researched he topic, I’ll do a story about this man. Some people believe he may have taken steroids in the Dominican Republic as a teenager. If so, the drugs didn’t stunt A-Rod’s body size, did they?

The most important reason that drugs should not be legalized is that they are much more addictive than alcohol. If you question that statement, consider the fact that in 2006 some 125 million Americans had consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days and 17 million Americans were hooked on or abused alcohol.

In his book, The Conservative Handbook, Phil Valentine called that an addiction with an abuse rate of about 14 percent. Now consider that in that same year 20.4 million Americans took an illicit drug in the previous 30 days, yet 3.8 million were hooked. That’s an addiction rate of nearly 20 percent. Cocaine users were addicted at a rate of about 75 percent. Heroin users were addicted at a rate of 95 percent.” Valentine concluded that cocain users were addicted at a rate of more than five and a half times that of alcohol users, and heroin users were almost seven times more likely to become addicted.

“Let me put it another way,” said Valentine. “If the same number of people in 2006 who had tried alcohol in the United States had tried heroin or cocain, instead of just 1.7 million coke heads we would have had 94 million. Instead of 323,000 heroin addicts, we’d have had almost 119 million. The devastation would be enormous.” 

The notion that there would be less crime if we legalized heroin, cocain, steroids and human growth hormones (HGH) is counterintuitive. Yes, says Valentine, we’d have less crime because use those addictive drugs would not be illegal and there wouldn’t be any more arrests. But to do so would be stupid. It’s like saying we’d have no more arrests due to bank robberies if we legalized it. There is also evidence to say that drug use, because it is expensive, leads to violent crimes. Some argue that drug use is a victimless crime because it affects only the user. But that is crazy too, considering the other crimes including murder, robbery, and car thefts that are spawned by drug use.

Now that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has belatedly set rules against drug use, most players don’t use drugs. They would be silly to throw away million-dollar careers on the chance of not getting caught. Manny took a chance, and see where it got him. He received a relatively light sentence, the loss of just 50 games. But that’s the kind of lax enforcement you can expect when the commissioner is from the ranks of team owners and beholden to them for his job. Considering the fact that steroids have been banned since 1984 by the Olympics, baseball and Mr. Selig are late coming to the party. Tough new tests were  introduced by the Olympics and other international sports at the 1983 games at Caracas, Venezuela.

Someone should have been named to replace Bud Selig immediately upon learning that so many stars had been users. He fell asleep at the wheel. He was unwittingly complicit in the crime of drugs in baseball by his failure to act immediately when it became apparent athletes of all sports were into drugs. It wasn’t fair to baseball fans, former “clean” players, or to current players themselves to wait so long. Leaving people like Barry Bonds out of the Hall of Fame isn’t punishment enough in my opinion, but that’s a private decision, not the province of Major League Baseball, because the Hall is not owned by MLB.

In his book, Drugged Athletes, Jonathan Harris quoted the chairman of the Olympic Committee’s sports medicine council, Dr. Irving Dardik, who said, “Drug testing itself won’t solve the problem. Athletes will sooner or later “find drugs that are not on the banned list. Some of the concepts that athletes need to concentrate on may seem obvious and elementary. Harris believes they need to appreciate … that their own self worth as individuals is not determined by whether they win or lose. They must overcome the concept that is constantly instilled into them that only winners are valuable human beings while losers are shameful and pathetic.

“There is only one long-run way to deal with [the drug crisis] says Don Fehr, MLB Players Union leader. “The athlete has to be highly educated about drugs very early on, and in a meaningful way. He must learn to make affirmative choices, for affirmative reasons, not to indulge in abusive substances.”

In 1984 the federal governments Drug Enforcement Administration announced a five-year effort aimed at 60 million students from kindergarten through college. Athletes, coaches, and law enforcement officials served as lecturers and counselors. Well-known sports personalities starred in ads publicizing the program throughout the country.

The Major League Baseball Players’ Association launched an innovative drug prevention program early in 1986. It published a coloring book for younger kids that said, “It’s Ok to say no to drugs.” The players association set up a pro-active activity program where players would spend time with kids. Preseason captains’ meetings were another helpful idea. These are usually held so that teams could discuss commitment, attitudes, and team policies and rules. The players association felt that “athlete-to-athlete communication is probably the best way to send clear messages about chemical use.”

I know of very few cases where baseball players became addicted to drugs, that is had to quit and go to a hospital or sanatorium to “dry out.” We hope we don’t have another Darrell Strawberry case because the youth of America look up to players so highly as examples of fair play and honesty. Strawberry was drummed out of baseball because he became an addict and for other things, and we feel sorry for the turmoil he brought upon himself.

Unlike writer Harry Browne of WorldNetDaily.com, for the good of the game I call for the MLB commissioner to act faster in adjudicating drug cases and to act with more conviction to save the sport for the kids coming up and to keep it on a highly moral and ethical level for all of us. Enforcement should be toughened up, not relaxed as writers like Browne suggest in his article “Drugs,Downey, Strawberry, Junkies, and Hypocrites.” Playing professional ball for a living is not a right, it’s a high attainment achieved by relatively few. The distinct honor to be called a Major Leaguer should be appreciated far more by today’s players. Baseball is still the American Pastime, the greatest game on earth, and we’re long past the time when people like Don Fehr and Bud Selig should allow leniency for steroid or other drug offenses.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

So which one—Brian McNamee or Roger Clemens—failed, shall we say, to tell the whole truth in the court of baseball?

Consider which one has the most to lose. That's Clemens, the "Rocket," one of the most successful and feared pitchers in the history of the game.

This extraordinary record holder, one otherwise destined for the Hall of Fame, could lose his reputation or perhaps worse—a ticket to the fabled hall in Cooperstown. He would lose endorsements, as if he needed the money.

McNamee could be indicted and tried for lying, either to a congressional committee or federal investigators. He was warned numerous times about being in legal jeopardy if he lied under oath.

But in reality, the 4½-hour hearing before Henry Waxman's investigations committee was missing its most important witness: pitcher Andy Pettitte. He was a close friend and teammate of Clemens's. He told baseball investigators that Clemens admitted to him that he used HGH and steroids.

Clemens said Pettitte had "misheard" or "misremembered" the words of his admission of usage. One wonders whether Clemens would have been so sure of himself if Pettitte or his wife, Laura, who was told of the situation, had been in the hearing room.

The court of public opinion will believe the one they want to believe. Clemens has the upper hand here as an icon of the game, as opposed to his trainer. However, there is unlikely to be any prosecution, since perjury is difficult to establish in court.

Unfortunately, the hearing became a partisan affair with Democrats generally attacking Clemens's version and Republicans generally defending him. Many in the public probably considered it partisan politics as usual on Capitol Hill.

The hearing ended without any real resolution. As for baseball itself, there is strong agreement that the use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs is cheating.

More testing of players should move swiftly as a way to ensure the integrity of the game.

Play ball—fairly.

Tween and teen health (11)

• Antidepressants for children: Explore the pros and cons
• Dehydration and youth sports: Curb the risk
• Strength training: OK for kids when done correctly
• see all in Tween and teen health

·         Tween health (6)

• Cervical cancer vaccine: Who needs it, how it works
• Huffing: Is your child at risk of inhalant abuse?
• Menstruation: Preparing your preteen for her period
• see all in Tween health

·         Teen health (12)

• Teen drinking: Talking to your teen about alcohol
• Parenting teens: Encouraging responsible behavior
• Performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete
• see all in Teen health

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. View sample

·         RSS Feeds

close window

Mayo Clinic Housecall

Stay up to date on the latest health information.

What you get

• Free weekly e-newsletter
• Mayo Clinic expertise
• Recipes, tools and other helpful information
• We do not share your e-mail address

• Sign up
• View past issues

Performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete

Is your teenager involved in athletics? If so, you need to know about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs and supplements.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Are you the parent of a student athlete? If you are, your life is probably as hectic as your child's. But in your daily rounds of carpools, practices and games, have you taken the time to talk to your child about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs? Pro athletes and Olympians aren't the only ones lured by the promise of a shortcut to increased strength and stamina. Kids in high school and middle school are using these products, too. And your child could be among them.

What are performance-enhancing drugs and supplements?

Performance-enhancing drugs and supplements are used to boost athletic performance, ward off fatigue and enhance physical appearance. They're also taken to increase muscle mass and strength. But they can cause serious harm. Here's a look at some of the substances your son or daughter might be using.

• Creatine. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body that is also sold as an over-the-counter supplement. It's primarily used to enhance recovery after a workout and increase muscle mass and strength. Creatine is popular with athletes who participate in sports in which short bursts of power are required. Examples include football, gymnastics, hockey and wrestling. Side effects include weight gain, nausea and muscle cramps. High doses of creatine have the potential to harm the kidneys.
• Anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone. They build muscle and increase strength, and are particularly popular with bodybuilders and football players. Anabolic steroids can halt bone growth and result in a permanently short stature, so they're particularly dangerous for still-growing adolescents. Steroids can also damage the heart and liver.

·         Steroid precursors. Steroid precursors, such as androstenedione ("andro") and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), are substances that the body converts into anabolic steroids. They are used to increase muscle mass.

The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 made most steroid precursors illegal without a prescription. DHEA is the only one that is still available in over-the-counter preparations. Side effects of steroid precursors are similar to those for steroids.

continued:

Performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete

Why do teens take them?

Teens tend to deny their mortality and take risks that more mature people wouldn't consider. Here are some reasons teen athletes might consider taking performance-enhancing drugs.

• Pressure from parents or peers
• A desire to gain muscle mass
• A desire to be stronger
• A negative body image
• A tendency to compare their appearance with others', particularly those who use steroids

What you can do

Does your teen plan to compete for athletic scholarships? If so, he or she is under considerable pressure to succeed. And besides the pressure from coaches, parents and peers, teens place a lot of pressure on themselves. Not surprisingly, the pressure may contribute to the lure of performance-enhancing drugs and supplements.

Reassure your teen of your love and support — even when your child doesn't perform well in competitive sports. If you're worried that your teen may be using performance-enhancing drugs or supplements, here's what you can do:

• Be clear about your expectations as a parent. Tell your teen that unless the long-term effects of performance-enhancing drugs on young athletes are known to be safe, you expect him or her to avoid them. Set rules. For example, if your son or daughter uses performance-enhancing drugs, he or she has to quit the team. Teach your teen that short-term gains can lead to long-term problems.
• Discuss ethics and proper training. Athletes shouldcompete fairly. Remind your son or daughter that using a performance-enhancing drug is similar to cheating, but even more importantly, could lead to serious health problems or even death. Another key message is that a balanced diet and rigorous training are the true keys to athletic performance. Encourage your teen to feel good about his or her sports performance.
• Talk with your teenager's coach. Let the coach know you've talked with your teen and that you don't approve of performance-enhancing drugs. Ask the coach about the school's position on performance-enhancing drugs. Another option is to contact the athletic director of your local school district.
• Monitor your teen's purchases. Take a close look at the over-the-counter preparations your teenager takes. Check closely to see what the ingredients are.
• Monitor for signs of drug use. Signs your son may be taking anabolic steroids include increased acne and male-pattern baldness. If your daughter takes anabolic steroids, she may develop male characteristics, such as a deep voice or dark facial hair. Teens who take anabolic steroids may seem unusually moody and have angry outbursts known as 'roid rage.

All children have health education in school. But ultimately it's up to you to talk with your son or daughter about performance-enhancing drugs. Remember — teens are smart, they ask tough questions, and they tend to deny risks to their health. So do your best to convey the message that performance-enhancing drugs are risky business.

>