Written by:

ANGELA DELLI SANTI

March 6, 2008 

 At a time when steroid use by professional athletes is under congressional scrutiny, New Jersey lawmakers moved to ensure that student-athletes understand the dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs.

Student-athletes as young as 14 could undergo random tests for steroids under a bill advanced by the Senate Education Committee on Thursday. Students as young as middle school would receive instruction about steroid abuse.

The measure also would require coaches to incorporate steroid deterrence into training and practices and mandate the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to develop a prevention program for coaches and athletic directors to use. 

The measure would put the force of law behind a random drug testing policy adopted two years ago by the NJSIAA under an order by then-Gov. Richard J. Codey, a youth basketball coach and sponsor of the current proposal in his present capacity as a state senator.  

"The public health threat posed by steroid use is not something that can be combated by any one parent, coach or teacher," said Codey, D-Essex. "What we need is a full court press, starting early and targeting many aspects of a student's life _ in the classroom, on the court, in the hallways and at home."

Bob Baly, assistant director of the NJSIAA and a member of a panel convened by Codey to look into steroid abuse by students, said 4 to 5 percent of students nationally use steroids.

"That alarmed us," he said. "There are 240,000 athletes in New Jersey alone. That is a significant number."

The Assembly has yet to consider the proposal.

New Jersey became the first to institute a statewide steroid-testing policy for high school athletes in 2006. The NJSIAA, the governing body for state scholastic athletics, randomly tests athletes who qualify for team or individual state championships.

Three other states _ Illinois, Florida and Texas _ have since adopted similar policies, Baly said.

Athletes who test positive for any of more than 80 banned substances _ a list that includes anabolic steroids, some diuretics and other performance-enhancing drugs _ face a one-year loss of eligibility.

The NJSIAA reported in September that only one in 500 high school athletes screened for steroids in the first year of the program tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Steroid use by professional baseball players has recently been the focus of highly publicized congressional hearings and a subsequent investigation into conflicting testimony offered by pitching ace Roger Clemens and his former personal trainer over whether Clemens ever used steroids or human growth hormone.

"I think we need to have more people talking to our young athletes and, in particular, cautioning them on the abuse of steroids," said Sen. Shirley Turner, a co-sponsor of the legislation.

"On the national level, many of the role models as well as national heroes have been found to use steroids or performance-enhancing drugs," she said. "Many of our young people will emulate them if they see no one else is explaining the detriment of that use."