"States step up to the plate against steroids"

With a topic like steroids, there is not much individuals can do to alleviate such a widespread problem, of national appeal. The first steps being taken to fix this program are being taken at the state level. Four states - California, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia - have passed measures as of 2005 to discourage use of steroids at the high school level, and hopefully this can end steroid use in higher levels as well. Penalties include suspensions for players and loss of coaching certificate for coaches/teachers.

But this still falls into the problem stated in my speech. These measures passed will certainly make punishments stricter, but it still does little to prevent it in the first place. And it's unfortunate that tragedy has to lead to these measures. "Tragedy led the parents of two athletes – one in Texas and another in California – to lobby for stricter regulations after their sons committed suicide after taking steroids." They are attempting to combat this though. "Rather than adopting the rigorous testing of college athletics, states are steering toward early intervention through better education, such as an Illinois law that requires school districts to develop steroid-abuse prevention instruction specifically for athletes." Hopefully policies like this will be able to end steroid use in sports.

This article and the effort to end steroid use is legitimate. This isn't just some rally or protest, it's states coming together to help solve this problem. The article itself is touching as well, as it uses real stories and facts to back up an otherwise solid argument, and that is why this is a good argument for a current issue.