Time to end steroid testing

The state of Texas knew years ago that its program to test high school athletes for steroid use was not a fruitful use of resources.

In its first year, then-Sen. Dan Patrick called the program a “colossal waste of taxpayer money.”

Say what you will about the now-lieutenant governor. But he was right.

Since the program began in 2008, the state has spent $10 million to catch only a handful of students, after testing more than 63,000.

Despite the hefty price tag, critics point out that the Texas plan made mistakes early on, failed to test for many commons kinds of drugs and was too easy for cheaters to exploit.

Others argue that the testing results prove that steroid use among teens is not a widespread problem. Indeed, it is far less common than other kinds of drug and alcohol abuse that pose far greater risks to a larger universe of teenagers.

The program was well-intended, but its execution has rendered it ineffective.

It’s time for the Legislature to put those state dollars to better use.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Time to end steroid testing."