Professional athletes are often important role models for children and teens. Without even knowing it we begin to imitate what our role models do. We swing the bat the way they do, or celebrate the same way after we score a touchdown or goal. If teens begin to act like their role models, what happens when athletes do steroids? Do teens get the impression that taking steroids is okay? Well, some do. More and more teens have been caught using steroids to improve their performance, just like their role models. When professional athletes take steroids, it sends a message to children and teens that it’s okay.

Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and Olympic gold medallist Marion Jones are two athletes recently involved in steroid scandals. A recent study shows that steroids can cause serious developmental and health problems in teens. It also states that many of the steroids teens take are created in unclean and illegal conditions. According to Henry Waxman, chair of the Committee for Oversight and Government Reform, “Steroid use among teenagers is increasing rapidly, with some experts estimating that nearly half a million teens have used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in recent years.”

Some athletes think that steroids should be legalized because they believe that they have the right to put their bodies in danger. In my opinion steroids should not be legalized under any circumstances. They are not only dangerous but give the athlete extra energy and strength. Steroids provide the athlete with an unfair advantage, which should be reason enough to ban them.

When Marion Jones finally admitted to having used steroids, she was stripped of her medals and may serve up to six months in jail. Professional athletes caught using banned substances face fines of up to $500,000 and as much as 10 years in jail. Hopefully, now that the punishment for taking steroids is so severe, athletes will no longer use them and will once again be good role models for young people.