USE AND AWARENESS OF EFFECTS OF ANABOLIC-STEROIDS AND PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES AMONG A COHORT OF NIGERIAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS MEN AND WOMEN

In 1992, 250 professional sports people (72 per cent males, mean age 2 5 years), mostly among those invited for screening for the Olympics, c ompleted a questionnaire, aimed at highlighting the prevalence of use of anabolic steroids and other psychoactive substances, and the factor s associated with the use of drugs. The prevalence of life-time use of drugs was as follows: 1.2 per cent for anabolic steroids, 0.8 per cen t for amphetamines, 0.4 per cent for cocaine, 0.8 per cent for cannabi s and 5.6 per cent for codeine. On the four-item CAGE for screening fo r alcoholism, 3.6 per cent scored 1, while 1.2 per cent scored 2 and a bove. Those on steroids denied regular use of the drug, while one of t hem admitted having experienced DSM-IIIR symptoms of dependence while on steroids. Compared with estimated rates in general population sampl es in Nigeria, drug-use rate among our cohort is mostly lower, but not significantly different from what obtains in general society. Our coh ort seemed largely ignorant of the deleterious effects of the use of a nabolic steroids, they are liable to peer group pressure to use drugs, and seemed exposed to the temptation of being asked to be drug courie rs. A programme of drug education for sports people is needed to addre ss these issues, and keep the prevalence of drug-use low.