Gary Mihoces

About the author: Gary Mihoces is a reporter for the newspaper USA Today.

The number of American middle and high school students abusing steroids is growing. Many teens use these drugs, which are related to male sex hormones, to improve athletic performance or personal appearance. However, these substances are legal only by prescription and carry significant health risks.

We're used to football players or Olympians getting caught using steroids now and again.

This might shock you: A national survey shows a rise in steroid use by eighth- and 10th-grade boys. Though use was lower among girls, it rose, too. It was higher among girls in eighth grade than 12th grade. "I'm alarmed, not only because of each individual, but the fact that it's growing...