Some lawmakers are rethinking their stand on the current steroid testing program of Texas. They have said that the program yield very little results. After testing 10,000 students in leading high schools in the state, only 4 tested positive. With $6 million budget for the program, lawmakers said that it is costing the government too much. According to some critics, the two year program was a waste of effort and money.

They also said that the previous impression that most high school students are taking illegal substances especially steroids proves to be not true. Sen. Dan Patrick who is loudly against the testing program, said that “it is a “colossal waste of taxpayer money” that could be focused on combating recreational drug and alcohol use”.

A report released last December by the University Interscholastic League shows that there are only a few high school students who were tested positive for steroids. The first 10,117 tests produced only 4 confirmed cases of steroid use. The drugs detected on these students were the anabolic steroid boldenone and a steroid called methylandrostandiol.

An additional 22 cases were deemed “positive” results because students broke testing rules but this does not mean that they used steroids. They either refused to provide a urine sample or had unexcused absences the day they were selected. Another reason is if they left the testing area without approval. A student who tested positive will meet a 30-day suspension from play for the first offense.

A total of 195 schools were included in the testing program from February to June 2008 by the National Center for Drug Free Sport. It also covered 12 sports. The sports where most of the test were conducted were Football (3,380) and girls’ volleyball (835). The Uiversity Interscholastic League (UIL) will release an updated test results next month.

It is expected that by the end of this school year an approximately 40,000 to 50,000 Texas high school athletes will have been tested for steroids.

The33tv.com interviewed some athletes and other personalities who are monitoring the development of this steroid testing program. Nancy Saddler, a High school basketball fan said, ” That’s a lot of money being wasted when you haven’t caught but four. Out of how many? Ten thousand you say?” Another comment from Tony Myers stated that, ” It sounds like a waste, but as soon as you turn it off then those who have been hiding it, they’ll go right back to doing it.” Don Hooton who founded the Taylor Hooton Foundation, also said that “either there’s something wrong with the testing, which is why we’re coming back with so few numbers, or hopefully it’s an indication that the program is working, that it’s doing what it’s supposed to do which is deter kids from using anabolic steroids.”

David Dewhurst who made steroid testing the major platform of his government said that the program needs to finish its course in order to decide if changes are needed. The testing is “deterring our young people from putting their lives at risk or wrecking their bodies through the use of illegal steroids,” Dewhurst stated.

Dan Flynn, the Texas legislator who sponsored the testing bill in 2007 calls it an “incredible success.” He said that the point of testing was to act as a deterrent against steroid use, not catch teens using drugs. “We don’t have a bunch of pelts hanging on the wall. The success is that we haven’t had a lot of positive tests.” Flynn added.

Since the 2009 legislative session already started, the fate of the program lies on the legislators whether they would continue the program, reduce the budget or totally scrap this steroid testing program initiated by Rep. Dan Flynn.

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