IN THE WORLD of amateur and professional sports, illegal and legal drug use is all too common, says Robert Voy. As the former chief medical officer for the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), Voy saw a great deal of drug abuse firsthand.

If drug use and abuse is common, so are the risks. Athletes who take drugs to improve their performance and to cope with daily life face health problems ranging from depression and addiction to cancer and heart failure. They also run the risk of getting caught; athletes can be suspended from competition or even jailed. Drug use can damage reputations and finances, because many teams and advertisers shy away from players with drug problems. If using drugs is so risky, why do so many athletes take drugs"

NCAA survey

In 1985 and again in 1989 and 1993 the National Collegiate Athletic Association surveyed...