# steroids v. "greenies" **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 17, 2011, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711 "2011-04-17T09:31:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/1 "2011-04-17T09:31:33Z")
Is there reliable stats of the % of players who used steroids in the '90’s and players who used “greenies” from say 1940 to 1980? I ask because I’d guess steroids were relatively rare, while “greenies” were fairly ubiquitous. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/2 "2011-04-17T14:21:22Z")
Why limit amphetamine use from 1940-80? They were prevalent up until 2005. But no, you’re not going to find reliable numbers, as there wasn’t any testing. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/3 "2011-04-17T14:33:28Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Is there reliable stats of the % of players who used steroids in the '90’s and players who used “greenies” from say 1940 to 1980? I ask because I’d guess steroids were relatively rare, while “greenies” were fairly ubiquitous. Steroids were mainstream by the 1960s. They had attracted enough notice by 1967 to be banned by the IOC that year. Olympic drug testing begain in 1972. > **[Anabolic Steroids: types, uses and risks | Steroid .com](https://www.steroid.com/)** > > The largest and most trusted provider of Anabolic Steroids information. Featuring over 1 million pages and a massive steroids community. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/4 "2011-04-17T14:44:22Z")
IMO, baseball didn’t utilize steroids en masse until the late 80’s. And that’s why I picked the dates for “greenies” I did, because I’d expect steroids to replace “greenies” to a large degree. Could be wrong, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/5 "2011-04-17T15:49:22Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > IMO, baseball didn’t utilize steroids en masse until the late 80’s. And that’s why I picked the dates for “greenies” I did, because I’d expect steroids to replace “greenies” to a large degree. Could be wrong, of course. I don’t think that’s at all an assumption you can make. Every unofficial report about amphetamines is that they were far more widespread than steroids were up until their ban/testing in 2006. Their use was extremely casual, and they were ever-present in the locker room. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/6 "2011-04-18T09:08:28Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I don’t think that’s at all an assumption you can make. Every unofficial report about amphetamines is that they were far more widespread than steroids were up until their ban/testing in 2006. Their use was extremely casual, and they were ever-present in the locker room. That’s EXACTLY what I’m saying Munch! I always assumed/heard that “greenies” were like Skittles in locker rooms. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/7 "2011-04-18T12:49:12Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > That’s EXACTLY what I’m saying Munch! I always assumed/heard that “greenies” were like Skittles in locker rooms. Huh? Then why did you say you expected steroids replaced amphetamines? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/8 "2011-04-18T13:36:39Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Huh? Then why did you say you expected steroids replaced amphetamines? Because UNTIL steroids came along “greenies” WERE like Skittles! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/9 "2011-04-18T13:43:45Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Because UNTIL steroids came along “greenies” WERE like Skittles! 😕 And I’m saying that even when steroids hit the scene, amphetamine use CONTINUED to be prevalent. Steroids did not replace them. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/10 "2011-04-18T14:03:36Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > And I’m saying that even when steroids hit the scene, amphetamine use CONTINUED to be prevalent. Steroids did not replace them. Probably true. Do you think 'roids reduced “greenie” use? I honestly have no clue! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steroids-v-greenies/578711/11 "2011-04-18T14:13:48Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Probably true. Do you think 'roids reduced “greenie” use? I honestly have no clue! Nope. There are many sports medicine people that believe the 2006 amphetamine ban affected offensive numbers far more than the steroids ban/testing did.