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Article: Steroid abuse by children soars to crisis level
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- September 7, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1995 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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TIM REID
A dramatic rise in the number of children using anabolic
steroids in an attempt to look like their muscle-bound television
heroes has prompted the Sports Council to launch a national
anti-drugs campaign.
Boys and girls as young as 12 are taking massive quantities of
steroids, which can cause psychotic behaviour, stunted growth and
heart failure, spurred on by the image of strongmen and women in
television programmes and advertising, the council said this week.
Michele Verroken, the council's head of doping control, believes
children are buying the drugs in schools and gyms. Calls from
worried parents, teachers and school sports coaches have become so
regular that a "preventive ...