RECREATIONAL DRUGS - 09/09/11
Résumé |
Substance abuse among adolescents and young adults remains an issue of concern in today's society. With the continued popularity of athletic participation in this age group as well as the influence of professional sports figures, illicit substance abuse continues to receive much attention in the athletic environment. Of particular importance to the sports medicine community is the abuse of such well-known drugs as marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol. Other less familiar substances are also abused from time to time in a more trendy fashion. Studies have shown noticeable differences between substance abuse in college athletes and nonathletes.45 With current ongoing discussion regarding drug education and testing in society and among athletic teams in particular, sports medicine physicians play a variety of important roles. Not only are we team physicians, but we should also serve as educators, counselors, and support systems to our young athletes regarding the effects of substance abuse.
Recent results from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAAs) study in “Lifestyle and Health Risks of Collegiate Athletes” reveal athletes as having significantly higher risk-taking behavior than their nonathletic peers. Male athletes were noted to have more risk-taking behavior than female athletes, and further, athletes in contact sports and team sports demonstrated higher risk than athletes in noncontact and individual sports. Athletes in contact sports, specifically, showed increased usage of alcohol to handle stress as well as increased use of cocaine and marijuana overall.36 Thus, college athletes are certainly at higher risk than their nonathletic peers for particular maladaptive lifestyle behaviors and subsequently associated substance abuse.
The significance of substance abuse in society is told, in part, by examining the cost of drug-testing programs. In the sports world, the NCAA budgeted $3 million in 1990 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) budgeted $2 million in 1986 at the Seoul Summer Olympic Games. The estimated cost of testing every high school football player per year is greater than $100 million, thus it is clear why fewer than 1% of high schools have drug-testing programs.17 Some remaining legal issues have also made testing at the high school level very limited on a wide-scale basis.18
Proponents of drug education and testing argue that such programs are necessary to deter drug use. They state that education is critical regarding the physiological and psychological dangers inherent to the misuse of drugs and alcohol. They further advise that such education and testing is indicated to protect those student athletes and others with whom they compete from potential injury as a result of substance abuse. Finally, advocates encourage these programs to uphold the integrity of intercollegiate athletics by following such a policy as outlined by the NCAA regarding substance abuse.
A position statement has been released by the American College of Sports Medicine in conjunction with the American Medical Association regarding their views of substance abuse. In association with the NCAA, they condemn the employment of nontherapeutic drugs by student athletes in an effort to enhance or influence athletic performance. These drugs include, but are not limited to, alcohol, amphetamines, anabolic steroids, barbiturates, caffeine, cocaine, heroin, LSD, PCP, marijuana, and tobacco. Use of such drugs, they declare, are contrary to the rules and ethical principles of athletic competition.2
This position is strengthened by studies that show that substances of abuse do not help performance. Those drugs that do improve performance, conversely, provide an unfair advantage. Drug use in these instances is regarded as “cheating.” The illegal possession of some substances without a prescription supports the general argument against drugs in sports as well. Finally, upholding the athlete as a role model contradicts any association with substances of abuse.23
Those athletes who do abuse drugs declare peer pressure and the relief of anxiety and stress as predominant reasons for their involvement. They sometimes admit to poor coping skills in adjusting to the multitude of demands in the life of a student-athlete. Many believe firmly in the perceived performance affects of certain substances of abuse. With such controversial viewpoints regarding the many risks, benefits, pros, and cons of substance abuse among athletes, a further evaluation of the most commonly abused drugs is in order.
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| Address reprint requests to Val Gene Iven, MD, Team Physician, University of Tennessee, 1818 Andy Holt Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996–2800 |
Vol 17 - N° 2
P. 245-259 - avril 1998 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- THERAPEUTIC DRUGS : What to Avoid With Athletes
- John M. Henderson
- ANABOLIC AGENTS
- James E. Sturmi, Douglas J. Diorio
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