A study showing role models taking drugs influences kids

A confidential self-report survey was administered to 3248 students representing years 8 to 6th form in 12 states in the United States by their teachers during form time or physical education class...

Early studies reported that anabolic steroids use ranged from 6% to 11%.

In this study, approximately 20% of high school age males and females suggested that professional athletes do influence their decision to use anabolic steroids…

When students were asked whether anabolic steroids use by professional athletes influenced their friends' decisions to use it, affirmative responses rose to nearly 50%...

(The results of this study do not provide conclusive evidence on the relationship between sport figures and adolescent drug use, but they do suggest that adolescents are influenced by media exposure of their heroes using AS.)