Posted: Sunday, July 8, 2007 12:00 am
A state-by-state glance at high school steroid policies:
TESTING MANDATED BY LAW
FLORIDA: New law sets up pilot program that calls for 1 percent of athletes in football, baseball and weightlifting to be tested.
NEW JERSEY: First state with a steroid testing law. No positive tests reported yet.
TEXAS: Recently passed law calling for widespread testing.
LAWS EXIST BUT DON'T MANDATE TESTING
CALIFORNIA: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed bill prohibiting high school athletes from taking ephedra and other supplements.
IOWA: 1990 rule calls for athlete suspensions for steroid use, but state law prohibits random drug testing.
Louisiana: Legislature has passed resolution to survey schools about extent of the steroid use.
MAINE: Law passed last year requires school systems to address steroids in their drug and alcohol policies.
MICHIGAN: Law passed last year requires school boards to establish policy on steroids.
MINNESOTA: 2005 law calls for maximum 20-year prison sentence for sale of performance-enhancing drugs to minors.
PENNSYLVANIA: Decade-old law requires school boards to enforce rules prohibiting steroid use, but no testing program to back this up.
VIRGINIA: Athletics association rulebook has rule "consistent with Code of Virginia" calling for two-year ban if principal and superintendent determine athletes used steroids. No testing policy, though.
TESTING OR POLICY EXISTS ON STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL
ALASKA: Largest school district, in Anchorage, has policy banning steroid use.
COLORADO: Athletics association includes steroid mention in bulletins sent to member schools.
GEORGIA: Athletics association has policy statement denouncing use of steroids.
ILLINOIS: Steroid testing plan being hatched this summer, to be presented to athletics association board in September.
MASSACHUSETTS: Activities association has wellness program with regulations against steroid use.
MISSISSIPPI: A number of schools have mandatory testing programs.
MISSOURI: Francis Howell School District in suburban St. Louis began mandatory testing for drugs, including steroids, in 2006.
NEBRASKA: Educational programs established in state where Legislature killed random-testing measure.
NEVADA: Athletes sign contract saying they won't use alcohol or drugs, including steroids.
NEW MEXICO: Established steroids task force, which concluded statewide testing program would be too expensive and difficult to manage.
NORTH DAKOTA: Rules call for penalties for steroid use, but no testing.
OHIO: Activities association refers to department of education code that cautions about dangers of using steroids.
OKLAHOMA: Several districts have testing policies.
OREGON: Athletic association superintendent says state's extensive education program can reach 15 students for the cost of one steroid test.
RHODE ISLAND: Athletics association has policy statement denouncing use of steroids.
WISCONSIN: Athletics association provides schools DVDs and literature on steroids.
WEST VIRGINIA: Logan County schools test up to 2 percent of athletes each week.
WYOMING: Campbell County High School in Gillette tests for steroids.
NO KNOWN TESTING OR NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
ALABAMA; ARIZONA; ARKANSAS; CONNECTICUT; DELAWARE; DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; HAWAII; IDAHO; INDIANA; KANSAS; KENTUCKY; MARYLAND; MONTANA; NEW HAMPSHIRE; NEW YORK; NORTH CAROLINA; SOUTH CAROLINA; SOUTH DAKOTA; TENNESSEE; UTAH; VERMONT; WASHINGTON