New Study Indicates That College Athletes on Performance-Enhancing Drugs More Likely to Abuse Alcohol, Other Drugs
Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.
December 4, 2009
College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research reported in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
The study, of 234 male athletes at one university, found that those who used performance enhancers—ranging from steroids to stimulants to weight-loss supplements—were more likely to admit to heavy drinking and using drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Moreover, they also had elevated rates of alcohol- and drug-related problems, such as missing classes, failing tests, or getting into fights.
More information can be viewed at
http://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/news/JSADpress/JSADNov09AthletesPerf.pdf.