Are your teens hoping to gain a competitive edge by taking muscle-building supplements or other performance-enhancing drugs? New, national survey results released by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids confirmed a significant increase – a doubling – in the reported lifetime use of synthetic human growth hormone (hGH) among teens. According to the latest Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS),11 percent of teens in grades 9-12 reported “ever having used” synthetic human growth hormone without a prescription, up dramatically from just 5 percent in 2012.
Teens are taking dangerous risks with their health by using performance enhancing substances – both boys and girls are entering a largely unregulated marketplace in which products of many varieties are aggressively promoted with promises of improved muscle mass, performance and appearance.
The report states African-American and Hispanic teens are more likely to report use of synthetic hGH, with 15 percent of African-American teens, 13 percent of Hispanic teens and 9 percent of Caucasian teens saying they used synthetic hGH at least once within their lifetime. Both boys and girls report use of synthetic human growth hormone and steroids without a prescription. The PATS study found no significant difference between the proportions of teen boys vs. teen girls, who report using synthetic hGH (12 percent vs. 9 percent, respectively).
More than half of parents (58 percent) report having discussed the use of steroids or other performance-enhancing substances (PES) with their teens, and only 3 percent of parents believe their teen has ever used steroids or other performance-enhancing substances.
Taking these drugs to enhance athletic performance, besides being prohibited by most sports organizations, is illegal and potentially dangerous. Misuse and abuse of prescription medicine continues to be the third most prevalent drug abuse behavior measured among teens, following use of marijuana and alcohol. Almost one in four teens (23 percent) reports abusing or misusing a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime, and one in six (16 percent) reports doing so within the past year.
For additional information on what parents can do to help their children avoid the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, contact Talbot Partnership at 410-819-8067 or visit their website at www.talbotpartnership.org. Please also visit our website at find us on Facebook.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.