Substance-abuse policies and guidelines in amateur and professional athletics

Substance-abuse policies and guidelines in amateur and professional athletic organizations are described. Amateur athletic organizations, which are governed by the U.S. Olympic Committee or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), have developed programs that include mandatory drug testing. Drugs banned by the two organizations include psychomotor stimulants, sympathomimetic amines, narcotic analgesics, anabolic steroids, miscellaneous central nervous system stimulants, and, in the case of the NCAA, certain street drugs. Professional organizations have been somewhat slower to follow and, with the exception of tennis, do not allow mandatory drug testing. Each formal drug-screening program includes penalties for violators. The enforcement practices of the organizations representing tennis, baseball, basketball, and football are described. One aspect unique to professional sports is the employee-assistance program, which allows the impaired athlete to receive treatment while continuing to play and receive a salary. As drug-control programs become more common in athletics, opportunities may arise for pharmacists to participate in the areas of drug information and educational services.