Just three states—Florida, New Jersey, and Texas—mandate testing high school athletes for use of performance-enhancing drugs under new laws aimed at curbing growing steroid abuse among students, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. A handful of other states have laws prohibiting steroid use, but no testing requirement to identify violators.
But state lawmakers around the country have been reluctant to take up such measures, which are seen as costly and difficult to implement, and tend to spark legal battles. State athletic associations and local school districts have been left to take up the mantle, and several have created educational and testing programs to address steroid abuse among student athletes.
What role should state legislatures, state associations, and school districts play in overseeing and funding steroid prevention efforts? How should laws prohibiting the use of performance-enhancing drugs be monitored and enforced?
