Guest Rose Marie Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 US House votes to restrict steroid precursors Last Updated: 2004-06-03 16:56:04 -0400 (Reuters Health) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to ban over-the-counter sales of steroid precursors won approval in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday as lawmakers moved to crack down on performance-enhancing drugs in sports. On a vote of 408-to-3, the House sent the measure to the Senate for concurrence. The bill would require a doctor's prescription to use precursors, which act like steroids in the body. Anabolic steroids are testosterone-like drugs that bulk up muscles and give an energy boost. They are different from medical corticosteroids used to treat a range of conditions from asthma to skin disorders. When used long-term they can cause heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and extreme mood swings. Many precursor steroids are as dangerous as steroids but are not yet illegal, leaving the erroneous impression they are a safe way to enhance athletic performance, backers of the House-passed bill said. The legislation would add these drugs to the federal controlled substance list, making it more difficult to obtain them. "The goal of this legislation is clear: we do not want these harmful substances around our gyms, baseball stadiums, football fields or our running tracks," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican and chief sponsor of the bipartisan measure. "We do not want our athletes to risk their health to win. We want the way American athletes treat their bodies to be a source of pride for our country, not a source of shame," Sensenbrenner said. "We want our children to be able to look up to these athletes for their accomplishments." Use of steroids among children has risen in the past decade with evidence suggesting it has even reached some middle schools. Young users are at risk of premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes that could lead to stunted growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 2000 Posts DebMV Posted June 6, 2004 Over 2000 Posts Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Can the legislatures ban organically produced steroids as well? You know, the ones our own body produces... baaa.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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