WHEREAS,
Executive Order No. 46 (2005) established the Governor’s
Task Force on Steroid Use and Prevention (hereinafter the Task
Force) to assess and recommend measures to combat the growing problem
surrounding the use of steroid and other performance enhancers
by high school student-athletes in New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force has provided a comprehensive report setting
forth its findings and recommendations for addressing the problem of
teen steroid use; and
WHEREAS, a number of those recommendations require legislative action,
while others can be implemented more quickly through administrative
direction; and
WHEREAS, the State of New Jersey must take immediate steps to begin
to combat this problem before it becomes a public health crisis;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD J. CODEY, Acting Governor of the State
of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
1. The Department of Education is hereby directed to work in conjunction
with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA)
to develop and implement a program of random testing for steroids of
teams and individuals qualifying for championship games. This program
shall commence with the 2006-2007 school year.
2. The Department of Health and Senior
Services shall develop and implement as soon as possible a program
to randomly test dietary supplement products for sale in New Jersey
to detect steroid contamination.
3. The Department of Education shall take
all necessary steps to ensure that steroid education is incorporated
into programs currently being utilized in New Jersey schools, such
as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program. DARE steroid
education shall be introduced at the fifth grade level.
4. The Department of Education shall take
all necessary steps to ensure that each school district within New
Jersey utilizes programs such as the Athletes Training and Learning
to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) and the Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise
and Nutrition Alternatives (ATHENA) models of steroid prevention for
high school students.
5. The Department of Education, in conjunction
with the Department of Health and Senior Services, shall take all necessary
steps to integrate information on steroids, including prevention strategies,
strength-building alternatives and the understanding
of health food labels, into the health and physical education curricula
at the 7 th and 8 th grade levels.
6. The Department of Education, in conjunction
with the Department of Health and Senior Services, shall take all necessary
steps to develop a curriculum on steroids for high school health and
physical education teachers to incorporate into their classroom instruction.
7. The Department of Education, in conjunction
with the Athletic Trainers Society of New Jersey, shall develop a downloadable
presentation that certified athletic trainers can use to educate parent
groups and students in a classroom setting.
8. The Department of Education shall develop
a training program for high school science teachers, student assistant
coordinators and school nurses on the harmful effects of steroids and
performance enhancers.
9. The Department of Education, in conjunction
with the NJSIAA, shall develop a mandatory steroids and nutritional
supplements training program for all high school and middle school
coaches. Such program shall include workshops and expert speakers.
10. The
Department of Education shall take all reasonable steps to encourage
school districts to organize school assembly programs on steroid prevention.
11. The Governor’s Council on
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, in conjunction
with the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey, shall develop posters
and anti-steroid advertisements as well as Public Service Announcements
(PSAs) highlighting the dangers of steroid use, steroid precursors
and nutritional supplements. Such posters shall be displayed in school
locker rooms, weight rooms, athletic training facilities and at all
State tournament games and championships.
12. The Governor’s Council on
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, in conjunction
with the NJSIAA, shall provide anti-steroid ads in all school sports
programs and as public service announcements at all State tournament
games. The resources of the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey
should be made available for this purpose.
13. The NJSIAA is strongly urged to
incorporate steroid, steroid precursors
and nutritional supplement education, as well as alternatives to strength
gains, into the coaches’ education program.
14. The NJSIAA is strongly urged to conduct
semi-annual or annual workshops for coaches and athletic directors
in identifying the components of steroid use/abuse and prevention strategies.
15. The NJSIAA is strongly urged to
provide speakers on steroid
prevention strategies at all coaches’ workshops
for all sports, particularly
for those sports whose athletes are at high risk, such as football
and wrestling.
16. The steroid education programs and materials
developed by all State entities and by the NJSIAA pursuant to this
Order shall be made available to volunteer youth league coaches in
New Jersey.
17. There is hereby established a “Steroids
Awareness Week,” to
be held the last full week
in October each year. The Departments of Education and Health and Senior
Services shall collaborate in organizing appropriate educational and
other programs to be held during this week.
18. The Departments of Education and Health
and Senior Services, in conjunction with the NJSIAA, shall provide
the Governor and the Legislature with a comprehensive report concerning
the implementation of this Order within a year of the effective date
of this Order.
19. This Order shall take effect immediately. GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 20 th day of December,
Two Thousand and Five, and of the Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Thirtieth.
Richard J. Codey
Acting Governor
Attest:
Mark J. Fleming
Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor
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