Professional Athletes And Drug Use Penalties Essay

Professional Athletes And Drug Use (Penalties) Essay, Research Paper

Malcolm Harvest

Mrs. Skelly

English II

May 8, 1999

Professional Athletes and Drug Use (Penalties)

This research paper is about athletes and their use of drugs. The drug that is most

frequently used by athletes is alcohol. Most athletes who use drugs do not get the

punishment that they deserve instead they receive punishment that is too lenient. The

penalties for professional athletes who use drugs are too lenient, they should be more

severe.

Examples of drugs that are used by most athletes are the following: Anabolic

Steroids, Dietary supplements, Blood Doping, Stimulants, Narcotics and Corticosteroids,

and Alcohol. Anabolic steroids are used illegally by athletes, to increase muscle mass

and strength. Anabolic steroids are also called Androgenic-anabolic steroids. They get

their name from the Greek words “Andro” and “Gennan” which mean male producing,

and “Anabold” which means to build up. Anabolic steroids are chemically similar to the

male hormone testosterone. The testis, a male sex organ, produces this hormone.

Anabolic steroids are usually injected into the testis when taken or ingested in tablets.

Athletes who abuse Anabolic steroids exceed the natural level of testosterone. Dietary

Athletes to replace or increase chemical or vitamins in the body use supplements.

Androstenedione is a hormone pre-cursor that increases testosterone in the blood,

which increases muscle mass, strength, and power. Blood

doping is when extra blood is injected into a person’s veins to increase red blood cells and

oxygen. Endurance athletes, who need as much oxygen as, mostly use this drug.

For example marathon runners, tri-athletes, and decathlon participators.

Stimulants are drugs that are taken to speed up the central nervous system. The most

Frequently used stimulant today is marijuana; most athletes are usually caught in

possession of this drug. Alcohol is a depressant that is used by athletes. A depressant is a

drug that slows down brain and body reactions. “Alcohol is the drug most frequently used

by athletes.” 1

The effects of drugs on the users and those around them sometimes do not seem

To be as bad as they really are. The athletes play a vital role as role model for the nations

young people. As athletes they have obligations to their sport, teammates, fans, and most

importantly themselves. Professional sports are a workplace. Pro athletes are paid to play

their sports, just as a doctor is paid to treat his patients, a carpenter is paid to build

houses and a truck driver is paid to drive his truck. Athletes have an example they must

set, but when they use drugs they fail at the example they set. Marijuana and Steroids

affect the human body in various ways, which is what some athletes do not know.

Marijuana is an addictive drug. ” Marihuana smoke produces functional, structural,

And irreversible lung changes in long term smokers.” 2 Marijuana smoke is more

damaging to the lungs than tobacco smoke. The effects of marijuana in psychiatry

evaluated conditions such as schizophrenia and alcoholism. Steroid use has many

long term effects. Months to years of steroid abuse can lead to liver tumors, sterility

coronary artery disease and increased aggression. In males shrinkage of the testis and

an increase in breast size are some side effects, and in females a decrease in breast size

and sterility.

The reasons for drug use by athletes are many, but the main one is the plain desire

to win. Anabolic steroids are used legitimately for skeletal and growth disorders for

certain types of anemia and to offset the negative effects of radiation and chemotherapy.

When most athletes turn up using drugs, then most young people think drugs are OK.

A medical journal says,” Sports has become so artificial that it is hard to tell between

acceptable and unacceptable aids.” 3 Some athletes take drugs for sicknesses that show up

on drug test these are cases when the drugs are accidental. Baseball star Darryl

Strawberry said that pressure from teammates to do cocaine. In many cases drug use is

brought on by peer pressure, but it is still no excuse for the use of drugs. Another reason

for drug use might be because in certain sports drugs are not banned. In 1994 the Dietary

Supplement Education Act was passed which made substances that create testosterone

unclassified as a drug. Reason for higher sales in supplements between this year and last

year were because many superstars like Mark McGwire who is suspected to be taking

Androstenedione.

Most solutions of drugs use should start with the athlete him or herself, but here

are a few methods of the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS). The NDCS has three

goals to fight against drugs. One goal is to educate and enable America’s youth to reject

illegal drugs as well as tobacco and alcohol. A

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать