Athletics and Drug Use in Pasadena

Pasadena, California is home to the famous Rose Bowl Stadium, best known for hosting the annual Rose Bowl game, a major event in college football. A competition like the Rose Bowl features some of the most elite young athletes in the United States. Although these athletes are clearly successful in their sports careers and often riding on scholarships, they still struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Drugs and Alcohol Abuse in College Athletes

According to The National Institute of Health, a number of studies done by the National Collegiate Athletic Association demonstrated the following:

• Two percent of college athletes used performance-enhancing anabolic steroids on a regular basis.
• Seven percent of college athletes used cocaine regularly.
• Twenty-two percent of college athletes used marijuana on a regular basis.
• Sixty-five percent of college athletes used alcohol regularly.

Most colleges try and focus on keeping their athletes in optimal health and conduct regular testing to ensure that none of the above substances are being used. However, 12 percent of individuals admitted to being familiar with their school’s policy and still used a substance that could have them removed from their sports team permanently at least once monthly.

In the same study, students were asked if they knew of any teammates using illegal substances. Football ranked among the highest with 55 percent of the individuals surveyed answering affirmatively.

Pressure and a desire to let loose, fit in and improve athletic or academic performance all contributed to why college athletes chose to engage in substance abuse.

Signs of Addiction in Sports

According to Pasadena’s City Police Force, there are many indications that an individual is abusing a substance. If these signs are recognized early, recovery may occur before an individual has sacrificed their chances of playing sports in Pasadena or elsewhere in the US. These signs include:

• Seeing pipes, smoking contraband, needles or any drug equipment
• Red eyes, slurred speech, erratic behaviour and disassociation
• Anger, hostility, and skipping school or homework
• Physical changes that cannot be attributed to exercise or nutritional habits

See Related: Los Angeles Treatment Centers