It was just last week when news broke out that Texas has been reconsidering its 6 million dollar anabolic steroid testing program meant to provide random drug testing high school athletes of different sport. The main issue was that the first batch of results had low positive yields. Out of the 10,000 tested, only 4 were proved to be taking performance enhancing drugs. Because of this, Gov. Perry did conclude that steroids use doesn’t appear to be a problem among the youth of Texas and is considering scaling the program back. This has produced different violent reactions, such as one from Dr. Don Hooton, a Texas local.

Hooton is an advocate of the anti-steroids campaign after he lost his son in 2003. Hooton believes that the initial test results aren’t enough to conclude anything. The program was not meant to check if steroid use is a problem. In fact, Hooton even cited a survey of local high school students conducted by Texas A&M back in 2007. The survey suggests that approximately 2% of the students had use steroids. While only 4 of over a thousand tested positive in the recent drug test, Hooton believes that the low outcome is a result of the program itself. The steroid testing program is meant to serve as a deterrent and it has been just that to students. At present, the future of the program is still unsure.

From Dallas Morning News:

“I’m disappointed that stance is being taken before all the results from the field are in,” Hooton said. “I was under the impression we’d get at least one full year of results with football players before there was any recommendation.”

Perry made his remarks during a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. His office said the governor has not made any official recommendations for trimming the program.

Perry also said during the interview that he had no issue with leaving some degree of testing in place. But he added, “Do we need to test every kid in every school?”

What is the price of knowing your kid is not using any illegal, health-threatening substances? Well, to the critics of the high school steroid testing program, it shouldn’t be as expensive as 6 million dollars.

The testing bill was sponsored in 2007 and aimed to identify Texas’ high school athletes in all sorts of sports who used anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. The program doesn’t want to “catch” and punish these teens per se but would rather teach a lesson against steroid use. Fortunately, only a few students showed positive results, contrary to the belief that students using steroids is widespread in Texas.

From The Associated Press:

By the end of the current school year in June, officials expect between 40,000-50,000 public school students from all sports to be tested.

Critics rolled their eyes when the first results were released.

According to a University Interscholastic League report released Dec. 1, the first 10,117 tests produced only the four confirmed cases of steroid use. Two of the drugs identified were the anabolic steroid boldenone and a steroid called methylandrostandiol.

Another 22 cases were deemed “positive” results because students broke testing rules. They either refused to provide a urine sample, had unexcused absences the day they were selected, or left the testing area without approval. A positive test brought a 30-day suspension from play for the first offense.

The National Center for Drug Free Sport tested athletes at 195 schools between February and June 2008, covering 12 sports. Football (3,380) and girls’ volleyball (835) were the sports most often tested. The UIL will update test results next month.

Because of the few positive results, critics like Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick think that the program is a waste of the taxpayer’s money and the funds could have been used for other meaningful programs addressed to teen health issues. On the other hand, steroid testing supporter Gov. David Dewhurst thinks that it is too early to see if major changes have been made. Because of this, Rep. Dan Flynn has found middle ground in saying that the steroid testing program in Texas will continued but it will have to be scaled down to a level where it will still serve as an effective deterrent.