Letter: Steroid use not big in high school
http://www.newsday.com/opinion/letters/letter-steroid-use-not-big-in-high-school-1.9165214
August 27, 2014 4:16 PM
Newsday's recent cover story "Steroids on LI: Growing concern" [News, Aug. 18] suggests an apparent uptick in steroid use among 17- to 25-year-olds on Long Island.
The good news is that this is inconsistent with a trusted national survey of teenage drug use, Monitoring the Future, which surveys teens in eighth, 10th and 12th grades.
It shows that teen use of anabolic steroids has fallen in recent years. Overall, only about 1.5 percent of teens now report ever using steroids. Cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and tranquilizers are all more prevalent in high school. There is nothing to suggest that Long Island's kids are a national anomaly, notwithstanding the anecdotal claims of politicians or ex-user activists.
None of this is to diminish the problem of teen drug abuse. The abuse of any drug, steroids included, is a serious societal problem, and drug abuse by adolescents is of particular concern. But narcotics, cigarettes and alcohol intoxication still represent far greater dangers to our children.
Rick Collins, Mineola
http://www.newsday.com/opinion/letters/letter-steroid-use-not-big-in-high-school-1.9165214
August 27, 2014 4:16 PM
Newsday's recent cover story "Steroids on LI: Growing concern" [News, Aug. 18] suggests an apparent uptick in steroid use among 17- to 25-year-olds on Long Island.
The good news is that this is inconsistent with a trusted national survey of teenage drug use, Monitoring the Future, which surveys teens in eighth, 10th and 12th grades.
It shows that teen use of anabolic steroids has fallen in recent years. Overall, only about 1.5 percent of teens now report ever using steroids. Cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and tranquilizers are all more prevalent in high school. There is nothing to suggest that Long Island's kids are a national anomaly, notwithstanding the anecdotal claims of politicians or ex-user activists.
None of this is to diminish the problem of teen drug abuse. The abuse of any drug, steroids included, is a serious societal problem, and drug abuse by adolescents is of particular concern. But narcotics, cigarettes and alcohol intoxication still represent far greater dangers to our children.
Rick Collins, Mineola
