Bill seeks high-school steroids testing, By: Shannon J. Owens

Florida could become the nation's first state to require random exams of prep athletes.

April 5, 2006, Sentinel Staff Writer

A Miami legislator again is pushing a bill that could make Florida the first state in the nation to mandate steroids testing in high schools.

State Rep. Marcelo Llorente (R-Miami) has proposed that the Florida High School Athletic Association member schools randomly test athletes for performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. If passed into law, the state would allocate $3 million for a three-year testing program.

In Florida, Polk and Marion counties already test students through non-state-aided funds, and several counties in states such as California, Virginia and New Jersey test as well. New Jersey randomly tests players on playoff teams.

"They should test for steroids," said Vic Lorenzano, who served as an athletic director at Gateway High School from 1986-94. Gateway was the first school in the Orlando area to test students randomly for recreational drugs from 1991-94. "You look at how big some of these athletes are nowadays and wonder if it's natural."

Llorente's bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Durell Peaden Jr. (R-Crestview), would take effect July 1 if it makes it through the Legislature and is signed into law by Gov. Jeb Bush. The steroids-testing bill (HSB 1003) unanimously passed through the first of four subcommittees in the House on March 28.

"Young people can't comprehend the disastrous health consequences," said Llorente, a former baseball player for Tulane University.

Llorente previously has introduced similar legislation three times. In each case, the bill has not cleared the committees.

Studies have shown use of steroids by high-school students to be on the rise. In 2003, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 6.4 percent of male high-school seniors and 3.3 percent of female seniors admitted to having taken steroids at least once.

Polk County began random testing of a small percentage of its athletes for steroids in 2004. Don Bridges, the county director of athletics, said no students have tested positive.

Some administrators would prefer to see testing remain a local decision.

"If a bill like this passes, you take away the ability of the local community to have those discussions," said Tim Huth, deputy superintendent of Volusia County schools.

"I believe they need to have that rest in their hands and not mandated from the state of Florida."

Steroids tests typically cost between $50 and $100, according to J. Michael Walsh, president of a Maryland-based research and consulting firm that specializes in human performance. Because of the costs, he said, schools would be better served to test for recreational drugs and watch for symptoms of steroids abuse.

"There's a lot of signs and symptoms related [to steroids] -- weight gain, mood changes . . . that could easily be identified as being under suspicion," Walsh said.

No steroids-specific testing has been performed at Orlando-area high schools. St. Cloud weightlifter Paul Montalbano said he would welcome the tests. He suspects some of his opponents have used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I don't think its fair because I work hard," he said, "and I'm all natural."