Why Are Steroids Illegal? Why Do We Care About PEDs in Sports?

[Zundfolge]

The problem with PEDs is that it sets up a situation where the only way an athlete can be competitive is if they expose themselves to drugs that may end up harming or killing them.

[Sparky]

I was growth hormone deficient as a child. I grew up taking the shots in order to reach 5'3" tall. Science has now proven that we still need it as an adult to function normally. Try find a doc to prescribe it though.

[Jer]

I was growth hormone deficient as a child. I grew up taking the shots in order to reach 5'3" tall. Science has now proven that we still need it as an adult to function normally. Try find a doc to prescribe it though.

Great example. Doctors won't prescribe them because society has deemed them immoral and wrong... NOT the medical community. This is an important distinction that needs to be made.

[BREATHER]

Lets make all pro sports live or die with lotsa blood just like the fuckin Roman Empire did with gladiators just before it collapsed like this country is heading.

[sniper7]

Lets make all pro sports live or die with lotsa blood just like the fuckin Roman Empire did with gladiators just before it collapsed like this country is heading.

I actually think it would be a good idea for our prison system. Pay-per-view, the revenue would more than cover all the expenses of our jails and the salaries of the guards/warden and probably above and beyond that to cover more police/fire etc.

Maybe give them a way to earn their freedom for the very select few that win. Something along the lines of the movie 'death race'.

[MrPrena]

There are other forms of PEDs besides steroids. Epeotin Alpha or darbepoetin alfa can be used for PED.
That is what people initially thought Lance was on 6-7 years ago.

Physicians or Anti-doping agency employees can correct me if I am wrong, but I guess some athlete can be on those anemia medications or Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs when they are not competing?

[Jer]

Lets make all pro sports live or die with lotsa blood just like the fuckin Roman Empire did with gladiators just before it collapsed like this country is heading.

Uhmm... no.

I don't think anything one can do to one's self should be illegal. I do think in professional, competitive sports it equates to cheating, as it creates a disadvantage for those who choose not to use PEDs. Cheating of any kind should not be allowed in professional sports, but if you aren't getting paid for it, knock yourself out.

So is someone who naturally has a MUCH higher testosterone level than the average cheating? Why not? They have a CLEAR advantage over their fellow competitors. What about those who manage to do well enough to make the pros with a much lower testosterone level than average? Wouldn't it be fair if theirs could be elevated to what a normal man has, whatever that is? If a high/low threshold were created wouldn't it be fair for those who didn't meet the low to increase their levels to remain on par with where everyone else is at? I mean, we ARE talking about fair... right? Now, what if I told you that these evil drugs helped IMMENSELY in the time down from injury and recovering from a workout/game/performance that would make the next game less dangerous for competitors? This isn't a fairy tail.. it's what steroids can do.

We already know it can aid in healing and recovery but what if (and I know this is a stretch here, but go with me) it's found that steroids can be used to lessen the severity of a concussion? What if it can make repeat occurrences of concussions less severe? What if it's found that steroids can lessen the long-term effects of concussions (if you subscribe to this w/o medical proof) suffered by athletes? Now, I'm not saying this is indeed the case but w/o the proper research how can we know? Just as professional sports has paved the way for advancing procedures for previous injuries it will do the same for the study of concussions and closed head injuries. Why? Because that's where the money is in this economy. Like it or not. Protecting the shield (NFL) from injury related lawsuits and helping to get them back on the field as soon as safely possible. There have been some amazing advancements in medicine due to professional sports and I want this kind of motivation applied to a medicine that possesses such potential. If we continue to make it an illegal taboo then nobody is going to touch it other than to waste money and man hours to prove someone is taking it.

There are other forms of PEDs besides steroids. Epeotin Alpha or darbepoetin alfa can be used for PED.
That is what people initially thought Lance was on 6-7 years ago.

Physicians or Anti-doping agency employees can correct me if I am wrong, but I guess some athlete can be on those anemia medications or Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs when they are not competing?

Exactly. People want to focus on steroids of various types and recently HGH was the media buzzword but the amount of PEDs out there are more numerous than the average citizen can even contemplate. There are just so many different ways to chemically produce it and other related hormones that it's endless. People are testing positive for stupid things that aren't even PEDs because the tests are so crappy but all they have and meanwhile most users will never be caught. Ignorant people scream for 'justice' and knee-jerk fixes are introduced while the real problem remains untouched because that's just too difficult but we'll spend enough and do enough so that the average person feels better about the topic. Sounds familiar? *cough*TSA*cough*

Is caffeine or energy drinks a PED? It gives you energy and alertness and some people can't consume them due to religion or chose not to consume them due to health reasons so wouldn't someone who does gain an unfair advantage? Isn't Gatorade a PED? What about Neosporin? Silly I know but what about Cortisone shots? Those are steroids after all and are VERY widely used to treat inflammation and pain. Those aren't considering PEDs but they not only are in the same family of medicine they're injected, have potential side effects which are increased if abused and some people choose not to use them for these reasons. Why are these legal? There was a time when they were considered quite dangerous but thanks to professional sports we now know better and they're used properly because of the information gained from professional sports on a daily basis.

The point is if we wasted time banning ALL PEDs from professional sports athletes would be eating bread and drinking water just to make it fair for everyone. All this aside don't we live in the freest society in the world? Shouldn't WE be the ones who decide what we choose to consume and at what rate?

[Irving]

Maybe give them a way to earn their freedom for the very select few that win. Something along the lines of the movie 'death race'.

Giving someone freedom in exchange for killing as many people as possible sounds like a super idea!

[Delfuego]

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4090

[Jer]

The problem with PEDs is that it sets up a situation where the only way an athlete can be competitive is if they expose themselves to drugs that may end up harming or killing them.

Taking PEDs doesn't always make you a better athlete than someone who doesn't use them. Simply put, it takes MUCH more than an injection to become a great athlete regardless of what you hear from the media. There's also a misconception that taking steroids automatically means a shortened lifespan or more complications down the road as if we're all promised to not get some sort of complication even if we don't take steroids. Lots of times these side effects experienced from the use of steroids are due to the misuse of steroids or lack of knowledge of the use of steroids. That's not just to say that people like you and I use them and don't know but the medical community still doesn't even know fully which is why we need more research and use and not less. Look what professional sports has done for other ailments, injuries and illnesses that otherwise would have taken decades or centuries using normal channels available.

Do you think that someone who is morbidly obese that already has a grim outlook on living a healthy long-term life wouldn't live longer or better with the use of steroids and more knowledge under a doctor's supervision?