How often are athletes tested for drugs in sports in the USA?
347865
they have them about once a month in baseball and in football its twice a month and in every other sport its 2 a season
876818
lots of weight lifters each year using steroids and they banned from competitions. 100 meter runners are another group you can search the net for the name of famous athletes who had used steroids and their charges
613335
Athletes are getting better and better but their cheating the game. It has gotten to the point that any time someone has done something great, people in the back of their heads are saying" Are they on steriods?" People/Fans are always going to wonder, this was never like this 10 years ago, but now, its a main stay in all sports. Unfortunitly it has really hindered sports, esp baseball, with the whole Barry Bonds thing.
159965
They do... all winners have to submit to a drug test upon winning their medals.  However, some performance enhancing drugs can be out of the system by the time that the drug testing takes place. So, there are surprised raids and dopping tests throughout the competition.
561104
I don't think it's right for a anybody in a professional sport to use drugs to enhance their performance.
196607
i thank its very important, i believe a athlete should be drug free and honest enough with themselves that they have the ability to beat someone honestly and fairly.. when they use drugs to build themselves up they cheat and i honestly cant see how anyone can say they won when they cant do it under their own abilities.... to me its a matter of pride !!!!
827226
I would have though they woule be testng for more regular drugs - recreational - HOWEVER ephedrine may give a false positive for other drugs, specifically methamphetamine. It does depend on the test they use.\n\nAs for how long, 2-4 days seems to be atypical guestimate from most of the websites I have seen in the past.  The previous answer MIGHT be correct but it seems to contradict most of the other sites I have seen. I will try and check some more. Here is a list of others which might be of use....\n\nAlcohol                                6-24 hours\nAmphetamines                           2-3 days\nBarbituates                             1 day to 3 weeks\nBenzodiazepines                3-7 days\nCocaine                               2-5 days\nCodeine                               3-5 days\nEuphorics (MDMA, Ecstasy) 1-3 days\nLSD                                         1-4 days\nMarijuana (THC)                 7-30 days\nMethadone                            3-5 days\nMethaqualone                          14 days\nOpiates                               1-4 days\nPhencyclidine (PCP)              2-4 days\nSteroids (anabolic)                 14-30 days\n\n\nThe following medical products (including ephedrine) can lead to "false positives" and might be wroth bearing in mind as an emergency excuse....\n\n    * Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)\n    * Midol\n    * Nuprin\n    * Sudafed           The one you are interested in - false pos for ephidirine/meth\n    * Vicks Nasal Spray\n    * Neosynephren\n    * Ephedra and Ephedrine-based products (often used in diet products)\n    * Detromethorphan\n    * Vicks 44
1012979
Depends on the drug use (frequency and dosages) and the test.  On cheap and inefficient tests, you may be perceived as clear within days, but we have some tests that are looking for any trace residual amounts and it may take months or years for some common drugs to be cleaned out.  Some of the new non-tobacco user drug tests that life insurance companies use will raise flags if a person has used tobacco in the past 2-5 years!  With the motivation that some companies face (government contracts for instance), some are using some pretty sophisticated tests for common drugs and they may be just about as sensitive.  I worked for one company where there were three long-time users and they had little to fear because our "screenings" were cheap and not random.  They got by undetected for years (one got sloppy and showed up to work while still high and the other almost terminally OD'ed at home one weekend and it hit the newspapers)--semiannual tests didn't catch them because they were clean by the time the scheduled samples were taken.\n\nSome of the chemicals people use, however, are of types and sophistication that you practically have to be intentionally looking for them, but most opiates have chemical signatures that if a person is using at all, some tests, though definitely not all, will catch you even months later.
447618
Steroids are only illegal in competition. It's not against federal, state, or local laws to use steroids.
952143
they can if tested for but it is expenseve to do,,,\n most courts and jobs only test for meth;weed,cocane, and pcp and or lsd
394743
Yes his numbers should count.  And no it is not a proven fact that he took steroids.  He said he unknowingly took growth hormones or something to that effect but he has yet to fail a drug test and you all seem to be ready to hang him.  When he finally fails a drug test then crucify him until them leave him alone.  Even if he took steroids which I believe he did but again there is no proof of it he is still a great athlete with lots of ability.  Steroids did not make him able to connect with the ball and able to recognize pitches etc.  And as we all know it is a proven fact Sosa is a cheat and nobody took away his HR's
253497
There is an interesting article at: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/drugs/stories/top10.html
927576
You mean moral principles? Like not taking steroids & drugs and stuff?\n\nThe answer is yes, it has to, otherwise its meaningless..which is why the testing is stringent and the penalties so severe.
504412
You can see the list of prohibited drugs at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) web site.\n\nhttp://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/2006_LIST.pdf
764249
First of all it is an illegal drug and it hinders the mind in turn increasing aggression and not letting people think rationally during a struggle or fight.  Secondly it does give an unfair advantage in sports.
912699
Well since the supplement is not regulated from the FDA, the list of ingredients can change at any given time. So, the player may buy a big jug of powder that is legal the first time the supplement is bought, but the next time the ingredients may have changed. However, it is still the players responsibility to understand this and either themselves or someone else keep track of what is in the supplement. \n\nSecondly, when taking multiple supplements, many can lead to a steroid. Meaning when combining, different supplements, which in an of themselves are not steroids, change the chemical make up and the body makes them steroids. \n\nYou are right, I am sure Urlacher and Lewis are taking supplements. However, they have not been tested positive for steroids. Now, could the companies put steroids into the supplements these other players are taking, yes. But the other players were smart enough to not continue to take the supplements. Now Merriman may not have knowingly took the steroid. He still took it, and it was his fault. All supplements are still required to have an ingredient list. He should look at that before buying the products, or rather his trainer and the Chargers trainer. So the blame should fall mostly on him.
1165740
He was suspended in 1991 for doping saying he was using weight loss drugs in order to play for Argentina.  And in 1992 hewas banned for failing a drugs test for cocaine.