USA Luge Joins Coalition Formed to Support Dietary Supplement ...

The Coalition for Anabolic Steroid Precursor and Ephedra Regulation (CASPER) announced, Thursday, April 24, that USA Luge has joined in the support of legislation regarding the regulation of dietary supplements that contain steroid precursors or ephedra.

CASPER is comprised of the nation’s leading medical, public health and sport organizations, and is focused on supporting efforts to regulate products containing steroid precursors and products containing ephedra. CASPER was initially founded to support The Anabolic Steroid Precursor Control and Health Education Act (H.R. 207), which was co-sponsored by Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Tom Osborne (R-Neb.). A complete list of CASPER’s current members can be found at the end of this release.

Steroid precursors are substances that are converted in the body into steroids, which have an anabolic effect. The steroid precursors are themselves steroids. In almost all cases, the substances formed in the body from steroid precursors that are responsible for their advertised actions are scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act. Ephedra use in a small but significant number of otherwise healthy individuals has been associated with heart attack, stroke, and psychoses. In specific circumstances, it has been associated with death. The increased use of these substances increases the risk that otherwise healthy individuals will have an adverse medical event.

“The Coalition for Anabolic Steroid Precursor and Ephedra Regulation was formed to coordinate the efforts of the top U.S. medical, public health and sport organizations with an end result of changing the laws and regulations regarding the exclusion of steroid precursors and ephedra in dietary supplements,” said Shawn Smeallie, CASPER Executive Director.

The Anabolic Steroid Precursor Control and Health Education Act was co-sponsored by congressmen John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) and Tom Osborne (R-Neb.) in October 2002. It was reintroduced in January 2003 as H.R. 207. The proposed bill would apply to substances that, once ingested, metabolize in the body into anabolic steroids.

Currently, these anabolic steroid precursors are being marketed as anabolic-equivalent “dietary supplements” that promise to magically build muscle. The manufacturers of these products are not required to perform any safety testing prior to releasing these potentially dangerous steroid equivalents. To correct this situation, Rep. Sweeney and

Rep. Osborne moved quickly to draft the new legislation reclassifying anabolic steroid precursors as controlled substances.

"The use of these dangerous supplements has become a serious health issue for the American public as a whole," said Rep. Sweeney. "We cannot allow their abuse to simultaneously ruin the health of those who have been duped into using them for everything from the promise of quick-fix weight loss to that of a magic muscle powder, as well as degrade the competitive spirit of athletic competition."

“I'm pleased with the creation of CASPER and its mission. It works to spread the word about important efforts and legislation geared to protect young athletes and non-athletes," Rep. Osborne said. "We need to make sure that steroid precursor manufacturers are no longer able to exploit teenagers, athletes and unsuspecting consumers by selling them untested, unregulated steroid equivalents, labeled 'dietary supplements.'"

CASPER will also rely on the grassroots efforts of its member organizations and the U.S. public to ensure that members of the U.S. Congress and Senate are aware of their concerns regarding the health dangers of dietary supplements.

“Action is needed now to protect the American public, and more specifically, today’s youth who are led to believe the use of these supplements are safe. Recent deaths in professional sports have underscored the risk, while athletes in Olympic sports are being exposed to those same serious medical threats,” added USA Luge Executive Director, Ron Rossi. “In addition, such action will hopefully put an end to the embarrassment from career-threatening drug sanctions that has often been traced back to these supplements.”

The coalition continues to look to adding other medical, public health and athletic organizations to strengthen and extend CASPER’s reach and voice.

Members of CASPER (as of April 23, 2003)
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
American College for Sports Medicine (ACSM)
American Medical Association (AMA)
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA)
The Endocrine Society
The Hormone Foundation
National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA)
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS)
National Football League (NFL)
National High School Athletic Coaches Association
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
Pharmacy Council on Dietary Supplements
United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)
US Biathlon Association
US Soccer Federation
USA Luge
USA Swimming
USA Track and Field (USATF)
U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC)