Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley on Steroid Use

Statement

Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley on Steroid Use

As co-chairman of the Senate Drug Caucus, I have worked to eliminate dangerous performance-enhancing drugs from sports. In 2004, I co-sponsored the Anabolic Steroid Control Act in response to the wide-spread use of steroids in professional sports. I also held a hearing that year to highlight the dangers of these terrible drugs, and the serious effects they can have on kids.

My hearing shed light on the pressures felt by kids. I had a Division I athlete tell us that anything from protein supplements to illegal steroids were readily available at both the high school and college level. These are kids who simply want to perform better to win a starting spot on the varsity, to earn a college scholarship, make it to the pros, or even just to "look better."

Sadly, last week's release of the Mitchell report further illustrates the fact that athletes are still turning to these horrible drugs to gain a competitive edge. And in the end, these professional athletes are showing kids that it's okay to take steroids or steroid precursors. This is what we have to end.

I assure you that Congress will not remain complacent when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs. That's why I'm happy to join my colleague, Senator Schumer, today to promote two bills that will help crack down on performance- enhancing drug use.

Human growth hormone or HGH and the dietary supplement DHEA are being marketed and sold to athletes of all ages to help them compete at a higher level. What many people don't realize is that these substances are highly dangerous when not properly used under the supervision of a physician.

DHEA is a pre-cursor steroid hormone to testosterone that is banned by all professional sports leagues, except Major League Baseball. With that revelation is anybody surprised about the findings of the Mitchell report?

The opponents of my legislation will tell you that DHEA does nothing to kids, but studies reveal this isn't the case. When taken in high doses over time, DHEA, like its relatives in the steroid family, may cause liver damage and cancer. Let me reiterate, DHEA has the same effects on the body as steroids.

What is even more disturbing is the fact that DHEA is being marketed online to kids. One bodybuilding website, directed towards teenagers, features a teen bodybuilder of the week to promote performance-enhancing drugs. The person you see in this chart is a former Junior National Champion bodybuilder. When asked what supplement gave him the greatest gains for his competition this teenager replied "DHEA."

Many of us know kids this age. I don't know about you, but this doesn't look normal to me.

Sadly, advertisements like this one are having an impact on young people.

I have introduced two bills in the past that would make DHEA a controlled substance, but I realize that many people use this product legitimately. I think it's important that we at least make sure that our children do not have access to DHEA. So, the bill I introduced just last week will make the sale of DHEA to individuals under the age of 18 a civil offense. Three states already have statutes in place that do this and some stores already restrict the sale of DHEA to minors.

Another area of concern is the wide-spread presence of HGH in professional sports. Although all professional sports leagues have banned the use of this hormone, athletes still use this substance to gain a competitive edge.

The body naturally produces HGH in children, to promote growth, but HGH can also lead to muscle growth in adults. Moreover, studies show that prolonged use of this substance can lead to diseases like cancer and gigantism.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is limited in its ability to investigate and prosecute the improper sale and manufacture of HGH, which is why I'm happy to join Senator Schumer in co-sponsoring his legislation. This bill will make HGH a schedule III controlled substance, and will give the DEA full authority to investigate and prosecute bad faith sales of this substance.

I believe we need to act quickly to curb the use of these substances, which is why I sent Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Specter a letter requesting that these bills be placed on the Judiciary Committee executive business meeting agenda as soon as possible.

These bills certainly are not a remedy for all the problems our society faces with performance-enhancing drug abuse. But I do think they are a good step at getting at some of the issues we are seeing. I'm hopeful that the sports industry will heed the wake up call and do something to deal with this issue. Professional sports figures need to realize that they are role models. They need to shape up - without the drugs.

I'm looking forward to working with my colleague Senator Schumer and others in the Senate at raising awareness of this problem of performance-enhancing drug abuse, and finding solutions.

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