Gov. Arnold Doesn't Regret His Steroid Use

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-steroids27feb27,1,3115929.story

February 27, 2005

Gov. Doesn't Regret His Steroid Use

Schwarzenegger says he opposes illegal drugs, but notes that when he took the
substances, they were legal and used under a doctor's care.

SACRAMENTO — As he has before, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger acknowledged using
steroids during his years as a champion bodybuilder, but he also told ABC he would
still have used them even knowing what he knows now about the adverse effects of the
performance-enhancing drugs.

In an interview to be broadcast today, Schwarzenegger told the network's George
Stephanopoulos, "I have no regrets about it, because at that time, it was something
new that came on the market, and we went to the doctor and did it under the doctor's
supervision. We were experimenting with it. It was a new thing. So you can't roll
the clock back and say, 'Now I would change my mind on this.' "







The former seven-time Mr. Olympia said he would not encourage drug use because it
sent the wrong message to children. But he said he had no problem with athletes
taking nutritional supplements and other legal substances to improve their
performance.

"People should take food supplements, people should be able to take the vitamins and
all of the nutritious stuff that is available, but stay away from drugs," he said.

Since becoming governor, Schwarzenegger has maintained his ties to the bodybuilding
world.

In the interview, Schwarzenegger said he hoped that, over time, bodybuilders would
stop relying on steroids.

A spokeswoman for the governor's office said Saturday that Schwarzenegger said
nothing he hasn't "discussed before."

Schwarzenegger has admitted to using steroids when he was a champion bodybuilder in
decades past, beginning with his arrival in the U.S. at age 20, but also has said
they were not illegal at the time and that he used them under a doctor's
supervision.

"The governor feels that the use of illegal steroids is wrong," said Margita
Thompson, his press secretary.

Next weekend, Schwarzenegger is to make his annual appearance at the Arnold Classic
bodybuilding exhibition in Columbus, Ohio.

Sponsors include makers of performance-enhancing dietary supplements — legal
substances that have been a target of legislation in California.

Schwarzenegger's appearance comes at a time when he is facing questions about his
position on dietary supplements.

He is editor of two fitness magazines crammed with ads for the supplements, whose
health effects, critics say, are not always understood.

The governor last year vetoed a bill by Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) that
would have required coaches to take a course on performance-enhancing supplements,
created a list of banned substances for interscholastic sports, and barred
supplement manufacturers from sponsoring school events.

In his veto message, the governor said that most dietary supplements are safe, and
that Speier's bill was "unclear" and would have been difficult to implement.

Schwarzenegger said in the interview that he would sign such a bill if legislators
deal with his objections in a new version.