Congressman Cummings Comments on Steroid Use Among Young Women following House Government Reform Hearing

Congressman Cummings Comments on Steroid Use Among Young Women following House Government Reform Hearing

Today, following a House Government Reform Committee hearing on steroid use, U.S. Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Maryland) expressed concern that a growing number of young women are taking steroids without a prescription to enhance their body image, reduce fat, or improve athletic performance. He further expressed disappointment that several coaches and trainers often push female athletes to take steroids in order to succeed.

The hearing was the fourth in a series to examine the abuse of steroids. The first three hearings examined steroid abuse in professional baseball, football and basketball.

Congressman Cummings released the following statement:

"While our previous hearings tended to focus on steroid abuse in professional sports by men, today's hearing reflected an understanding that such abuse is not a problem confined to the sports arena, nor is it unique to males. On the contrary, evidence indicates that steroid abuse among females is on the rise.

"In 1993, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 1.2 percent of teenage girls reported steroid use. A decade later, this rate more than quadrupled to 5.3 percent of girls in grades 9 through 12 reporting steroid use without a physician's prescription. It should be noted that while other government studies show an analogous trend of steroid use, important questions remain unanswered about the severity of the problem.

"For example, the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Monitoring the Future survey reported troubling increases of steroid use by 8th, 10th, and 12th grade girls, but found rates of abuse that were substantially lower than those reported by the CDC. According to the NIDA study, approximately 1.1 percent of female high school students reported steroid usage in 2003.

"While there are questions about the scope of female steroid abuse, the health effects of illegitimate steroid consumption are clear. The abuse of steroids by young girls and women seeking improved athletic performance or aesthetic enhancement can cause serious adverse health effects.

"These health problems include: masculinization, cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney complications, and serious psychiatric side effects including acute depression and even suicide.

"With this in mind, Congress added certain anabolic steroids to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Individuals possessing such drugs without a valid prescription are liable for a misdemeanor, while persons convicted of distributing, dispensing, or selling these drugs are subject to a 5-year sentence for a first offense. In clear and plain terms, illegitimate steroid use is a crime.

"As Ranking Minority Member of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, I routinely work on issues related to U.S. drug control policy and public health. Although the primary focus of our oversight is Schedule I substances, I am particularly concerned that the abuse of steroids by female athletes and female non-athletes may be underreported and require further study.

"The Government Reform Committee is driven by a commitment to eradicate illegitimate steroid use regardless of whether they are abused on or off of the playing field. As such, we are united in the belief that the health and safety of our communities and generations yet unborn are too important to pursue any lesser goal.

"This demands that we not only embrace successful education and prevention programs that address steroid abuse by young girls and women, but continue to examine unresolved questions regarding steroid abuse within this population."

http://www.house.gov/cummings/press/05jun15b.htm