Why Do High School Athletes Use Steroid?

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“In 1958, Dr. John Bosley Zieglar created the first legal anabolic steroid; but near his death in 1983, he said he wished he never created it due to misuse.” (Peters, 2005) Due to the rise in the popularity of competitive sports, high school athletes are beginning to use performance enhancing drugs to be . A performance enhancing drug is any substance taken by athletes to improve their performance. With team sports being a privilege in high schools, and not a right; I believe that high school athletes should be tested for use of performance enhancing drugs. Researchers place the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports way back to ancient Grecian times during the first Olympic games. The first Olympic games was held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Evidence provides that athletes were eating and using different plants and herbs that are not normal to the daily diet of their culture. (Jenkins, 2007) Back in 1896, the use of drugs in sports was not considered cheating; so why would they not try them? This issue has been …show more content…
If professional athletes are caught using performance enhancing drugs; they get suspended for maybe a couple of events. But in high school use of performance enhancing drugs could cost a student their future. In some states, being caught using these is a potential felony; or you could be placed in jail. (Association Against Steroid Abuse, 2015) Most of the time teenagers think that they won’t be caught; or that it won’t happen to them. It is reported that 6% of high school athletes have used steroids, but the actual number is thought to be much higher. (Abuse, 2006) Students see popular athletes get away with it all the time’ so they think that they would not have a chance of being caught. But being in a contained environment, like a high school, people notice the behavior changes and other side effects