Written By:

Hanna Scott

November 15th, 2007

The Scottsdale Unified School District is launching a new campaign to educate kids and parents about the dangers. The district says steriod use is not a problem yet and it wants to keep it that way.

Don Hooten of the Taylor Hooten Foundation has been called in to help.

``Nationwide, there are over a million kids who admit doing the stuff, I personally think the number's larger than that," Hooten said.

He's heard stories of kids as young as 11 using steroids. While athletes are the the usual suspects, Hooten said the fastest growing group of users is freshman girls. They use steriods to tighten their ``abs" without having to do all those stomach crunchies.

``Based on the statistics we're seeing nationwide, we would be foolish to assume it's not a problem here," Hooten said.

The dangerous of steroids use are magnified for kids and range from depression and suicide to heart and growth problems, something Hooten knows first-hand. His son was a steroid user who committed suicide.

The foundation's Denise Garabaldi said it's easy for kids to get steroids -- from the web, in Mexico and from people often lurking around the gym.

She said, if you suspect your child's using steroids, don't be shy about searching his or her room.

``Look for magazines, internet sites, syringes, vials and pills and creams," she said.

If you find something suspicious, take your child to a doctor for a blood test -- the only test that will show anabolic steriods use.

Garabaldi said steroids use can have tragic side effects.

``Depression. And depression leads to suicidal thinking and ultimately suicide."