LOS ANGELES – It's suspected that steroid use (search) is widespread in professional sports like football and baseball, and now it appears that athletes are first trying out these drugs while in high school.
"The problem in California schools and probably schools around the country is much larger than we think," said California state Sen. Jackie Speier (search).
Through a statewide survey of 500 students, Speier found that 11 percent of boys and 5 percent of girls used performance-enhancing drugs.
Both coaches and politicians say it's time for people to stop denying that teens are "juicing."
Speier has introduced a bill that calls for testing high school athletes for steroid use. She also notes that teenagers may not realize the dangers and health risks involved with these drugs, such as heart disease (search), liver damage and rage. And doctors say there could be other long-term effects on teens.
But not everyone agrees drug testing is a good idea, especially in California where finances are tight. Many say that at $50 per student, testing is too expensive an endeavor right now. Plus, groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (search) say the testing is a violation of privacy.
Click here to watch a report by Fox News' Anita Vogel.
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