I sometimes have people look at me like I am crazy when I describe the epidemic of steroid use among our youth.  With this in mind, please read this article and watch the news video that is embedded in the article (follow the link at the bottom of this story). 1.This will confirm that steroid use is going on in high schools . . . in a big way. 2.As the young user describes, NO ONE ever told him about the dangers of using these drugs. Don

‘Roids, juice, pumpers. A drug with many street names and teens know them all, especially student athletes. “I had track athletes, football players, mostly any kind of sports. They just came to me and asked me what to do.” CBS 21 News spoke to a young man, whose identity is protected. He graduated from a local high school last year.  “I was really skinny, small. I thought it would make me bigger it would help me deal with a lot more things easier.” He was in the 11th grade when he started injecting steroids. A trainer at a local gym told him how to get it. It was as easy as ordering a pair of shoes online. Soon, this high school wrestler and swimmer got high from the results.  “It helped tremendously. My endurance was amazing. When I swam, I could just keep going and going and going but before you know it, I did it too much and it went downhill from there.” He went from 145 pounds to 210 pounds in just 3 months.  Others were noticing and they wanted in. “It’s pretty discreet, but obviously you can tell when someone is taking something. When they’re huge for their size, 17 years old, 225 pounds with a six pack, that’s not normal.” The high school this young man attended doesn’t test for steroids, but there are some that do. CBS 21 News contacted several school districts in the area to check out their steroid testing policy for student athletes. 4 got back to us. Central Dauphin and Lancaster City School Districts *do not* test for steroids, but Cumberland Valley and Bishop McDevitt do. New this year, at Bishop McDevitt, school leaders asked student-athletes to be involved in a voluntary drug testing program.  Close to 100% are participating.  The principal tells CBS 21 News, given the pressures kids face today, the decision is a good thing. This former user and dealer, thinks so too, especially since no one ever talked to him about it.  “I mean I’m sure people noticed affects of it on me when I was walking through the hallways. No one approached me, no teachers, they knew I was doing it, but they just kept it hush.” This young man did recently stop using steroids.  He said when he was using, his parents noticed, but didn’t really say anything. Here are some early signs of steroid abuse to be aware of:

• sudden muscle growth
• significant acne breakout
• mood swings

All can point to signs that person may be using steroids. Experts say if that’s the case, talk to them about it before things get out of hand.

 

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Steroids-students-A-major-problem/W1pkh3OuDUOgJt0z-Q6cuw.cspx