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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Carraro
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
02/05/08
HB
SHORT TITLE
Anabolic Steroid Abuse Education
SM 51
ANALYST Hanika-Ortiz
ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)
FY08
FY09
FY10 3 Year
Total Cost
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
Total
$36.0
Non-
Recurring General
Fund
Total
$11.8
Recurring General
Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Public Education Department (PED)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Memorial 51 requests the PED to implement prevention education for high school
students to teach the dangers of anabolic steroid abuse.
The memorial provides for the following:
•
Anabolic steroids are artificial substances related to male sex hormones that athletes often
use to build muscle and improve athletic performance.
•
Using anabolic steroids in this way is neither legal nor safe, and their use by athletes can
cause heart problems, including cardiac arrest, liver disease and aggressive behavior.
•
The national institute on drug abuse reports that, in adolescents, anabolic steroid abuse
can halt bone growth and has been associated with damage to the heart, kidneys and liver,
as well as problems with sexual development.
•
There is a great deal of anecdotal evidence linking anabolic steroid use with suicide and
extremely unpredictable and aggressive behavior.
•
Despite all of the warnings issued by the health care community, adolescent athletes are
under increasing pressure to use anabolic steroids in order to obtain a competitive edge
when seeking sports scholarships and career opportunities.
pg_0002
Senate Memorial 51 – Page
2
•
In light of the severity of the threat that anabolic steroids pose to adolescents, the states of
Florida, New Jersey and Texas have passed legislation to implement anabolic steroid
testing programs for high school students.
•
The state of Oregon has passed legislation to provide for teaching students about the
dangers of anabolic steroid abuse.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The PED reports the Department does not have staff resources or program funding to implement
SM 51 as intended.
The memorial does not include an appropriation, but costs will incur for PED to develop and
implement an anabolic steroid abuse prevention program. Based on the Department’s estimates
to implement a proven steroid prevention program, like ATLAS, it would cost about $300 per
school team. For 120 public high schools in the state and a minimum of one program per school,
($300 X 120) the cost will be $36.0. In addition, PED staff will be required to develop or
disseminate the already proven program to school districts. Estimated staff time for an
Education Administrator 0 is 400 hrs x $22.74/hr + 30% benefits= $11.8.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Senate Memorial 51 requests PED to develop and implement an educational anabolic steroid
abuse prevention program aimed at high school students to teach the dangers of anabolic steroid
abuse.
The issue of anabolic steroid use in high schools was explored in 2005. The statewide steroid
task force recommended prevention education for steroid use prevention.
The PED does not develop programs for implementation. Rather, the PED develops standards to
which school districts must align local curriculum and programs. Drug prevention education is
currently required as part of the New Mexico Health Education Content Standards with
Benchmarks and Performance Standards.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
This bill relates to the PED’s required Health Education Standards with Benchmarks and
Performance Standards.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The PED will be requested to develop and implement an educational anabolic steroid abuse
prevention program aimed at high school students to teach the dangers of anabolic steroid abuse.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
Relates to SB 202: enacting a new section of the Public School Code authorizing random drug
testing for anabolic steroids among high school varsity athletes throughout New Mexico.
pg_0003
Senate Memorial 51 – Page
3
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
PED notes that there are proven programs that give students the knowledge and skills to resist
steroid use and achieve their athletic goals in more effective, healthier ways, i.e. the Atlas and
Athena programs.
PED further notes that according to the National 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, only 4% of
high school students reported ever having taken steroid pills or shots without a doctor’s
prescription one or more time during their lifetime as compared to 20.2% reporting having used
marijuana and 12.4% having used inhalants. (CDC, 2006)
WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL
The Health Education Standards with Benchmarks and Performance Standards will continue to
require districts to teach about drug abuse prevention, including anabolic steroid use.
AHO/bb