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Sports and Drugs ProCon.org Notices Archive

2/12/2010 – Updated for 2010 Olympics:

1. How many athletes have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympics?;

2. Is there widespread systemic use of banned performance-enhancing drugs by Olympic athletes?; and

3. What performance enhancing drugs have been or are banned in the Olympics?

2/9/2010 - ProCon.org has now been used by 1,009 schools in 26 countries and all 50 US states.  We are thrilled to have 176 elementary and middle schools, 435 high schools, and 398 colleges and universities using the free nonpartisan research we provide to stimulate critical thinking.  The newest international school using ProCon.org is in Qatar.

1/21/2010 - ProCon.org in the News - We have been referenced in the media 10 times already in 2010 including mentions in Reuters, Psychiatric Times, and the Huffington Post. See all 176 of our media references to date.

1/18/2010 - NEW ProCon.org Website! – Should any vaccines be required for children? – All 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public schools although 48 states allow exemptions for religious reasons and 20 for philosophical reasons.  While proponents argue that vaccines save lives, prevent epidemics, and reduce harm from illness, opponents counter that vaccinations should not be required because they may do more harm (cause illness, reduce immunity, etc.) than good.  ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons of the debate surrounding vaccination.

1/18/2010 – UPDATED: Should performance enhancing drugs (such as steroids) be accepted in sports? - Read pro, con, and not clearly pro or con responses from more than 50 people, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bud Selig, and dozens of researchers, sports writers, and athletes.

1/14/2010 - ProCon.org has now been used by 932 schools in 25 countries and all 50 US states.  We are thrilled to have 161 elementary and middle schools, 390 high schools, and 381 colleges and universities using the free nonpartisan research we provide to stimulate critical thinking.  The newest international schools using ProCon.org are in Russia, Spain, and Thailand.

1/13/2010 – UPDATED: History of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports: Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and Manny Pacquiao, two of the world's top boxers, each walk away from $25 million in a disagreement over drug testing procedures; former professional baseball player Mark McGwire admits to taking steroids on and off for nearly a decade during his career.

12/28/2009 - NEW ProCon.org Website! – Is obesity a disease?An estimated 72 million people in the US as of 2006 (34.3% of the adult population) are obese and 10% of all US medical spending ($147 billion) in 2008 was attributed to obesity-related health conditions. The FDA, IRS, and the World Health Organization have stated obesity is a disease while other government and medical entities, such as the House of Representatives, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the American College of Physicians, have not. ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons in this debate.

12/18/2009 - ProCon.org has now been used by 802 schools in 22 countries and all 50 US states. The newest international schools using ProCon.org are in Austria, Israel, Netherlands, Philippines, and Singapore. We are thrilled to have 136 elementary and middle schools, 313 high schools, and 353 colleges and universities using the free nonpartisan research we provide to stimulate critical thinking.

12/9/2009 - Governments That Use ProCon.org – The governments of five different countries have referenced ProCon.org in their official reports or legislation.  See how New Zealand, Northern Marianas, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States’ governments have used ProCon.org.

12/9/2009 - NEW ProCon.org Website! - Do violent video games contribute to youth violence? - Critics argue that violent video games are to blame for school shootings, increases in bullying, and violence towards women and that research supports these assertions. Defenders of violent video games counter that the research is deeply flawed, that violent video games provide a safe outlet for aggressive feelings, and that video game content is protected free speech. ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons of this debate.

11/24/2009 - NEW ProCon.org Website! - Should Social Security be privatized? - Social Security, the largest government program in the world and the biggest expenditure ($612 billion) in the US federal budget, is projected to become unsustainable by 2037.  ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons of whether Social Security should be privatized to give people control of their own retirement funds and help ensure that their safety net remains intact.

11/6/2009 - UPDATED: How 728 Schools Are Using ProCon.org – ProCon.org is now used by schools in all 50 US states (North Dakota just added) and 17 countries (Sweden and Macedonia just added).  119 elementary and middle schools, 282 high schools, and 327 colleges and universities use the free nonpartisan research we provide to stimulate critical thinking.

11/4/2009 - NEW: ProCon.org Volunteers & Interns - See the latest volunteer research opportunities at ProCon.org along with profiles of our talented and hard working senior interns, interns, and volunteers.

10/28/2009 - NEW: Survey for High School Students Only – If you’re in high school, please take our 10 question survey about ProCon.org, critical thinking, and you.

10/7/2009  - UPDATED: Benefits of Teaching Controversial Issues – Five highlighted facts about the benefits of critical thinking and 28 articles, studies, and books about teaching controversial issues in the classroom.

10/5/2009 - UPDATED: Lesson Planning with ProCon.org - 11 lesson plan ideas for using ProCon.org in the classroom to engage critical thinking while meeting 15 national teaching standards.

9/24/2009 - NEW ProCon.org Website!Are cell phones safe? – Cell phones use a form of radiation called radio frequency (RF) to send their signal.  This RF radiation is regulated by the FCC, and has been deemed safe by a number of government and private scientific studies.  However, some studies have found that the radiation from cell phones may increase the chance of developing cancer and other health problems.  ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons of whether or not cell phones are safe to use.

9/21/2009 - NEW: Is the 2009 WADA "whereabouts" rule (requiring professional athletes to report three months in advance where they will be for one hour every day) an unfair invasion of athletes' privacy?

9/18/2009 - NEW ProCon.org Website!Should all Americans have the right (be entitled) to health care? – With millions uninsured, the US is one of the few - if not the only - developed nations that does not guarantee health care for its citizens. Many Americans believe that health care for all would be too expensive and unearned. ProCon.org's newest website explores the pros and cons of whether there should be the right to health care in the US.

9/4/2009 – UPDATED:  Did You Know? – 10% of professional baseball players use ADD drugs. Caffeine was on but is now off the Olympics’ banned substance list.  0.27% of all the Summer Olympic and 0.25% of all the Winter Olympic drug tests have shown positive results. Read about these and other little known facts in the performance enhancing drugs debate.

8/28/2009 - UPDATED: What are the 19 known methods of cheating to pass performance enhancing drug tests? Read about cheating techniques from urine replacement to gene doping to drug tattoos and more.

8/18/2009 - NEW:  Historical Timeline of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports – See the illustrated history of doping in over a dozen sports.  Read about the use of animal hearts and hallucinogens by the ancient Greek Olympians in 776 BC, the founding of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 1999, the Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez doping and steroid scandals in 2009, and much more.

8/11/2009 - UPDATED: How Schools Are Using ProCon.org - See how teachers and librarians from 588 schools in 48 states and 14 countries use ProCon.org in their classrooms and school libraries.

8/6/2009 - ProCon.org added six more media references to its In the News page including a mention of our Prescription Drug Ads website in Business Week.

8/5/2009 - ProCon.org Five Year Anniversary - ProCon.org celebrated its 5-year anniversary on July 14, 2009 with a party for supporters and friends from 4-7 pm in our Santa Monica office. We also held five anniversary contests and awarded winners over $500 in cash and prizes.  See photos and video from the party, find out who won the contests, and read highlights and reflections from our first five years.

8/4/2009 - Winners of the ProCon.org 5-Year Anniversary contests announced! Each winner receives $100 and our gratitude. See who won the ProCon.org Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, and Scavenger Hunts contests. Thank you to all who participated.

7/29/2009 - NEW PROCON.ORG WEBSITE! - Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age? - Our new micro site presents an overview, pro and con arguments, little-known “Did You Know” facts, videos, graphics, and a comprehensive list of sources on the issue of lowering the drinking age.

7/16/2009 - California State Schools Chief Jack O’Connell Praises ProCon.org - The California State Superintendent of Public Instruction wrote that ProCon.org is a "...great resource that breaks down hot button issues with quality, sourced info... The best part about procon.org is the entire web site is free to use. No ads, no registration necessary. If you’re in ed, check it out."  Visit ProCon.org for Teachers for details.

7/2/2009 - ProCon.org Celebrates Its Five Year Anniversary - July 2009 marks our fifth anniversary and we're celebrating with five contests where you can win up to $500. Visit our anniversary page to read contest details, a statement from our Chairman, top five highlights, select readers' comments, and more.

6/24/2009 - UPDATED: How Schools Are Using ProCon.org - See how teachers and librarians from 516 schools in 48 states and 14 countries use ProCon.org in their classrooms and school libraries.

6/22/2009 - UPDATED: In the News - See the most recent media refrences to ProCon.org in the Telegraph, WRPI, the Thom Hartmann Radio Program, and more.

6/8/2009 - NEW PROCON.ORG WEBSITE! - Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers? - This website is our first ever  site meaning it took us less than 35 hours to build.  The site contains a "did you know?" section, an overview of the issue, pro and con arguments, an image and video gallery, a reader survey, and a listing of all our sources.

5/29/2009 - UPDATED: Books and Articles about Using Controversial Issues to Stimulate Critical Thinking:  Take a look at our list of 16 publications, including 15 full text articles, on this important educational topic.

5/19/2009 - Our Volunteer Program – created on Feb. 9, 2009 – has been a great success.  We thank all the volunteers who have helped us so far, and we encourage others to consider becoming a ProCon.org volunteer or intern.

5/7/2009  - NEW: LA Dodger Manny Ramirez suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Read his biography and his statement in response to the suspension.

4/22/2009  - NEW: Top 10 Pros and Cons - Read opposing views about performance enhancing drugs in sports, including arguments on the effectiveness of drug testing, athletes as role models, legalization, and other issues in the debate.

4/16/2009 - NEW: Should baseball players who have used banned substances be voted into the Hall of Fame?

4/10/2009 - UPDATED: How Schools Are Using ProCon.org – 411 schools (73 elementary and middle schools, 148 high schools, and 190 colleges and universities) in 45 states and 11 countries use ProCon.org content in their classrooms.

4/10/2009 - UPDATED: In the News - 113 mainstream media--the most recent including Washington Post, Guardian, and CBS News--have referenced ProCon.org’s websites.

4/7/2009  - NEW: Join ProCon.org on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

4/2/2009 – NEW DESIGN – Whether you are visiting for the first time or coming back for the 100th time, we’d love to know: What do you think of our new website design?

4/2/2009 - NEW: Survey for Teachers and Librarians - Please take our 2-minute survey so we can learn how to make our sites more useful to educators.

3/23/2009 - UPDATED: In the News – We added 10 more media references and surpassed 100 mentions in the press for the first time in our history. 103 mainstream media outlets have now referenced ProCon.org.

3/9/2009 - UPDATED: How Schools Are Using ProCon.org – See how 66 elementary and middle schools, 133 high schools, and 176 colleges and universities in 45 states and eight countries use ProCon.org content in their educational materials.

3/2/2009 – NEW PROCON.ORG WEBSITE! Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels? – Our 17th issue website has over 200 pro and con responses from more than 175 experts on energy topics such as oil, solar, wind, nuclear, ethanol, biofuels, hydrogen vs. electricity, subsidies, and more.

3/2/2009  - NEW: Glossary - Provides definitions of 30 terms related to sports and performance enhancing drugs ranging from "A sample" to "WADA Code."

2/25/2009 - Articles about Using Controversial Issues to Stimulate Critical Thinking – Attention educators.  We have compiled over a dozen published articles on why and how to develop critical thinking skills by teaching controversial topics in the classroom.

2/25/2009 - UPDATED: In the News - Our list of media references has grown to 93.  See the latest additions from Popular Science magazine, Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), two radio stations, and more.

2/11/2009  - Read Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez's biography with his current and former statements on performance enhancing drugs.  Also read his views on whether he felt coerced to take performance enhancing drugs.

2/6/2009 - UPDATED: How Schools Are Using ProCon.org - See how 352 schools in 45 states and eight countries use ProCon.org content in their educational materials.

2/2/2009 - ProCon.org was honored to receive the 2008 “Best Non-Profit to Work For” award in a national competition. ProCon.org was one of five winners in its class of “non-profits with an operating budget of under $2.5 million.” There were 15 winners total. There are roughly 1,000,000 nonprofit organizations in the United States.

1/12/2009 - NEW TOPIC SURVEY - Select the topic you would most like ProCon.org to cover next.

1/9/2009 - NEW: Quotes About Critical Thinking – Read twelve stimulating quotes about critical thought.  We share these statements as part of our mission to promote critical thinking.

12/31/2008 - UPDATED: See How Schools Are Using ProCon.org: 50 elementary and middle schools, 100 high schools, and 116 colleges and universities (that we know of) have used ProCon.org in their teaching materials.

12/29/2008 - NEW PROCON.ORG WEBSITE! - Should performance enhancing drugs (such as steroids) be accepted in sports? Read over 250 pro and con responses from more than 200 experts on nearly 30 subjects related to drugs in sports at our 17th website, sports.procon.org.

12/24/2008 - NEW: Drug Tests Used in Sports - See our chart describing the 12 methods of testing athletes for performance enhancing drug use

12/23/2008 – NEW: Chart of 192 Banned Performance Enhancing Substances and Methods and the pros and cons of their health effects

12/23/2008 – NEW: Should human growth hormone (HGH) use be accepted in sports?

12/22/2008 – NEW:  Did You Know? – Read little known facts in the debate over performance enhancing drugs.

12/19/2008 - NEW: Do athletes gain an unfair advantage by using performance enhancing drugs?

12/19/2008 - NEW: Are the laboratories used to test athletes for performance enhancing drugs credible and reliable?

12/16/2008 - NEW: Are existing testing efforts effective in detecting the use of performance enhancing drugs?

12/15/2008 - NEW: Should performance enhancing drugs (such as steroids) be accepted in sports?

12/12/2008 – NEW: Do teens use performance enhancing drugs to emulate their professional athlete role models?

12/11/2008 - NEW: Should steroid use be accepted in sports?

12/10/2008 - NEW: What are some known methods of cheating to pass performance enhancing drug tests?

12/8/2008  - NEW: Should stimulants use be accepted in sports?

12/4/2008 – NEW: Should the teammates of athletes who are found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs in the Olympics also return their medals?

12/3/2008 - Big Three auto makers compared to Toyota and Honda by ProCon.org – We explore the question “Should the Big Three auto makers be bailed out by the US government?” in our first ever “mini” site. See the 144-point comparison chart and read statements from Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Paul Krugman, and many others.

11/26/2008 - NEW: Should "blood doping" and erythropoietin (EPO) use be accepted in sports?

11/25/2008  – NEW: How many athletes have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympics?

11/21/2008 - NEW: Would allowing performance enhancing drugs in sports decrease fan turnout, revenue, and corporate sponsorship?

11/21/2008 – NEW: Is there widespread systemic use of banned performance-enhancing drugs by Olympic athletes?

11/19/2008 - NEW: Why are some performance enhancing drugs legal while others are banned?

11/18/2008 - NEW: ProCon.org for Teachers - Lesson plan ideas, natl. teaching standards, articles about teaching controversial issues, teachers' comments, and students' comments.

11/18/2008 - NEW: Does the use of performance enhancing drugs violate the "spirit of sport"?

11/13/2008 - NEW: What performance enhancing drugs have been or are banned in the Olympics?

11/12/2008 - NEW: Is there an ethical difference between using performance enhancing drugs and using performing enhancing technologies in nutrition, training, and equipment?

11/12/2008 - NEW: What are some examples of legal performance enhancing substances that athletes are allowed to use?

11/10/2008 - NEW: Is a potential negative impact on the athlete's health a valid reason to ban performance enhancing drugs in sports?

11/4/2008 – ProCon.org was referenced in the media six times last week.  See our In the News page for the Swedish, Russian, and four US publications that mentioned ProCon.org.

11/3/2008 – NEW: Should the US Congress be involved in setting drug policies for professional sports?

10/22/2008 - NEW: What are performance enhancing drugs?

10/21/2008 – NEW: Should the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports be legalized?

10/15/2008 - ProCon.org welcomes its newest Board Member, Mr. A Searle Field, JD.

10/15/2008 - NEW: What is human growth hormone (HGH)?

10/14/2008  - UPDATED: In the Classroom - 256 schools in 42 states and five countries reference ProCon.org in their K-12 and university level lesson plans and resource lists.

10/14/2008 - NEW: What are stimulants?

10/13/2008 - NEW: What are "blood doping" and erythropoietin (EPO)?

10/9/2008 - ProCon.org received four more media references in the last three days.  See our coverage at Slate, National Catholic Reporter, and others in our growing In the News page.

10/7/2008 - NEW: What are Steroids?

10/3/2008 - ProCon.org User Survey passes 1,000 responses.  See the survey results so far

9/30/2008 – ProCon.org received two more media mentions last week.  Visit our In the News page to see our latest media references.

8/26/2008 - NEW: ProCon.org received four more media references in the last 30 days.

7/31/2008 - NEW WEBSITE: Death Penalty ProCon.org – “Should the death penalty be abolished?” Read pros, cons, stats, news, bios, and more great information related to this perennially controversial topic. Explore our 15th issue website at ProCon.org and let us know what you think.

6/30/2008  - We are proud to announce the new ProCon.org sites that became available Monday June 30, 2008. See over 10 new features in a new design and layout that took over 25 people nearly 2 years and 9,000 hours to complete. If you like what you see, please tell your friends.

5/30/2008 - NEW WEBSITE: Insider Trading ProCon.org – Should "insider trading" by Congress continue to be legal? Read pros, cons, and general reference information in the debate over whether Congressional representatives should be allowed to trade stocks based on material nonpublic information that they acquire during their normal Congressional duties.

5/23/2008 - ProCon.org Referenced in the Los Angeles Times and the Social Studies Professional – The number of media references to ProCon.org increased to 50 this week with favorable coverage by two respected publications.

4/17/2008 - NEW: User Survey – Please help us by taking our 1-2 minute survey on your experience at ProCon.org. Your feedback will help us to improve.

2/29/2008 - NEW: Subscribe to our free RSS feed and automatically receive the latest news and notices from our 13 ProCon.org websites. To subscribe, click on the RSS button in the top right of the homepage and follow the instructions provided on the screen. It takes a few seconds, and you can unsubscribe whenever you want.

12/12/2007 - NEW WEBSITE: 2008 Election ProCon.org – Read pro and con statements from the 2008 presidential candidates on several issues including abortion, education, environment, gun control, Iran, Iraq, religion, social security, and many more. Decide for yourself which candidate would make the best US President.

11/26/2007 - NEW WEBSITE: Immigration ProCon.org – What are the solutions to illegal immigration? ProCon.org explores the debate over illegal immigration with 50 questions, 200+ sources, and over 350 pro, con, and general reference responses.

9/28/2007 - NEW WEBSITE: Milk ProCon.org - Is drinking milk healthy for humans? We investigate health claims about milk using over 100 experts. The results of our research show conflicting data on milk's effect on cancer, heart disease, weight loss, diabetes, children's development, and other health issues. Visit our newest website and tell us what you think.

6/26/2007 - 2008 Presidential Election Poll - Visit our parent website ProCon.org and vote on the issues you want us to ask the U.S. Presidential candidates. Poll will close on July 15th.

5/14/2007 - New ProCon.org website:

  • ProCon.org launched its 10th website today, Prostitution ProCon.org, which explores the core question “Should prostitution be legal?” The site features over 200 expert sources from Presidential hopefuls Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton to Ann Landers, Heidi Fleiss, Susan B. Anthony, and the ACLU.

5/1/2007 - New ProCon.org website:

  • ProCon.org launched its 9th website today, Felon Voting ProCon.org (www.felonvotingprocon.org), on the heels of Florida and Maryland making historic changes to their felon voting laws. The 150 pro, con, and general reference statements focus around the core question: Should felons be allowed to vote?

1/30/2007 - Our comprehensive search engine (top right on the homepage) allows visitors to quickly find a word or phrase on the Under God ProCon.org website. The search function at www.procon.org allows visitors to simultaneously search all ProCon.org websites.

1/8/2007 - Euthanasia ProCon.org, our newest website, was launched today. It features nearly 600 pro, con, and general reference arguments in 80 questions. Visit the site today and decide for yourself: "Should euthanasia be legal?"

4/8/2005 - April ProCon.org Poll - Visit our parent site www.ProCon.org and help us select the best slogan for the organization.