Stop pumping up anti-steroid politics

State doesn't need empty gestures against substance few teens use

June 7, 2006

S tate senators are poised to vote and let Michiganians know that they, like their House colleagues, don't like steroids near schools. But they are wasting taxpayer time and money on meaningless gestures against a substance that few teen-agers are abusing.

It is already illegal in Michigan for school employees and volunteers to encourage the use of steroids. But the House has approved legislation to ban individuals 18 and older from possessing steroids within 1,000 feet of public school property or a park, with the stipulation that school offenders get five times the amount of prison time as other steroids possessors.

In addition, the House wants to prohibit public school students who are found to use steroids or certain dietary supplements from participating in school athletics. Why? Schools should decide eligibility requirements for school sports.

Interestingly, while the Michigan High School Athletic Association condemns the use of steroids and says it is one of the worst forms of cheating, it says other substances and behaviors are far more physically harmful to student-athletes, including sexually transmitted diseases and obesity.

Schools can't find steroid use without testing. State Sen. Michael Switalski, D-Roseville, has proposed testing for statewide athletic tournaments that would be paid for with a $1 surcharge on tickets. That bill has gone nowhere and for good reason.

Testing is expensive. It can be easily fooled by cheaters. And very few students actually use the substance, according to the University of Michigan's annual national drug survey.

In fact, the use of steroids has been declining as the substance has been stigmatized and students have learned about its harmful side effects.

It's easy to be against something in a political game of meaningless gestures. But legislation has a cost, as even the House recognized when it opposed including private schools in the proposed sports participation ban. The Legislature should work on real problems, not refereeing high school sports.