Homeland Security Dept. investigates NU students for steroid use; no charges yet made

By William Knox
Norwich Guidon Managing Editor

Three Norwich University students are currently being investigated by the office of Homeland Security in connection with the distribution and sale of steroids to Norwich University students, according to a press release from the office of Norwich President Richard Schneider.

"This is very serious," Schneider said. "It is a federal crime, and I view this as a serious health risk to our students. Not only is it illegal, this can kill you."

Schneider could not yet say whether charges had or would be filed against the students under investigation.

According to Schneider, the agents with whom he spoke said they believed that anywhere from 20 to 50 students on campus might be involved in the use of the steroids provided by the three students currently under investigation.

Two substances, anabolic steroids and bovine growth hormone, are suspected of being involved.

For technical expertise, Schneider spoke with Chip Keinath, the drug and alcohol counselor on campus for help.

"I've asked them to find out all the technical information about these drugs so that we can get good information out to our students," Schneider said, adding that the agents from the office of Homeland Security indicated that not much is known about the effects of BGH on humans.

"We're very concerned about people who are on it," Schneider said. "Can they come off it right away? Or does that have a negative physiological effect on them? I don't know, so I want to be real careful. I don't want to say, 'get off of it right away,' because there may be some side effects."

"When the students return in the fall, we're going to do some heavy-duty education. But I want to get some word out to the students even before they go home for summer break. We could have a lot of bodybuilders out there."

Schneider stressed that the use was not limited to the school's athletes.

"This is a bodybuilder thing, not an athlete thing," Schneider said. "In fact, a lot of the bodybuilders are not athletes; they just like to pump iron, which is fine, but they can't be using this stuff. And I don't want them using it during the summer."

The students are cooperating with the federal agents. Schneider has pledged the cooperation of the university staff.

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