Steroid use on the rise among teens

WASHINGTON — Teen-agers appear to be using more bodybuilding steroids despite the health risks of the illegal drugs, federal health officials said Friday.

The officials also said that coaches, teachers, parents and other adults may be subtly encouraging the trend.

The assessment was contained in a report, by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, that estimated more than 250,000 adolescents, mostly boys, have used steroids.

Health Secretary Louis Sullivan called the finding “disturbing” and said he was “concerned that some adults who are charged with our young people’s welfare might be passively accepting or even tacitly approving” use of the drugs that build up muscles and strength.

Dick Stickle, executive director of a substance abuse program of the National Federation of State High School Associations, said coaches can appear to condone steroid use with off-the-cuff comments such as, “Everybody uses steroids now in sports,” or by telling a young athlete, “If you were a little larger, a little stronger, you could be a starter next year.”

Sullivan said an interagency task force has been formed to look into new approaches to stemming illegal steroid use. Also, the Food and Drug Administration is conducting an educational campaign targeted at young athletes and their coaches, he said, and the department is launching a public affairs campaign on the issue.

In the best-known case of steroid use by an athlete, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson lost his gold medal in the 1988 Olympics in when he tested positive. He was disqualified and barred from competing for two years.