By Marques Phillips

Congress has subpoenaed various professional athletes to question them about their knowledge of steroid use. According to members of congress, one of the main concerns about the subject is the trickle down affect the epidemic will have on lower levels of sport.

At Buffalo State College, athletes are tested if their team participates in the NCAA postseason for their sport.

In Division III colleges, many anabolic steroids http://www.drugfreesport.com/choices/drugs/steroids.html are included on the NCAA list of banned substances, including the new designer steroid THG.
The problem for smaller programs becomes the actual testing. Drug testing costs are estimated at $135- per- sample. This fee is paid by the NCAA at upper-level schools, but would have to be footed by colleges at the Division II level. In a recent NCAA poll of athletes on all levels http://www.canoe.ca/Health0108/16_ncaa-ap.html
60 percent of college athletes admit to using nutritional supplements. Only 15 percent admit to having them prescribed by a trainer or doctor.

“We have to rely more on prevention methods at this level. All incoming freshman have to take a course and various seminars that inform them about drug use and our policy on it. Since we don’t have the money to test, we have to focus on keeping together a good staff that cares about the students here,” said Buffalo State athletic director Jerry Boyes.

If an athlete were to test positive for steroids in any NCAA level that athlete would be suspended for an entire year, losing that year of eligibility.
Buffalo State has the CHAMPS/life skills program which is designed to inform athletes about some of the hazards of college and help them make smart choices. Buffalo State also forces all incoming athletes to take classes that would force them to sit through drug information seminars.

The United States Senate has taken an interest in the matter. In 2004 they expanded the amount of performance enhancing drugs that were illegal to sell. This included drugs like ephedrine that are harmful in there own right but considered gateway drugs to more intense steroids.
The impact of this epidemic on the overall sports world will be measured and tested with time.

“I see it as a parent. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on the kids athletically. That might lead to the ‘me’ mentality in sports now. Kids now want to get stronger to hit more home runs and score more points. They all want to get scholarships. Kids never use to look that far ahead, they just wanted their team to win,” said Boyes.