Now I have not taken steroids but I do think they are given extremely bad press and the social stigma around them is extremley out of proportion.
Steroids are available for purchase in chemists over the counter purchase in many coutries around the world. Thailand, Brazil, Mexico just to name a few. Yet for the life of me I am unable to find any research showing steriods causing significant public health problems. In Australia alcohol and tobacco are available from almost anywhere to anyone over 18. I have however been able to find a few small issues with these last two.
Our culture glorifies alcohol consumption. The common mindset among young people that excessive alcohol consumption is somehow a measure of ones courage or strength, the viewing of underage drinking as a "right of passage", alcohol at almost all social events, I could go on forever. Yet alcohol itself has no benefit to ones health or wellbeing. Infact it is one of the leading causes of long term health issues in Australia, and for that matter the world. We should also not the immediete risks it poses, incresed risk of physical injury, road trauma, unsafe/unwated sexual practices, violence. And dont get me started on cigarettes.
It has been proven steriod users are the most educated group of illegal drug users. The average steroid user is a male 25-35 years old, employed and not a proessional athlete but simply using the compound their own personal image enchancement. If the personal choice argument holds water with smokers and drinker, why not steroid users? Steriods may cause damage if used incorrectly, alcohol and tobaco will cause serious damage if used at all, they may actually kill you.
Alcohol and Tobacco cost Australia tens of billions of dollars a year though lost productivity, health system costs and crime. I could not find any figures for steroids. Yet we are always told they are so dangerous, odd.
Now I have taken every drug under sun. In fact if I was going to sum up my first 3 years out of high school I would safely say they were my number one hobby. And I'm not talking about having the odd joint here. The odd thing is looking back I did not have one person tell me they thought my drug use was endangering my health, not my family, friends or work colleagues. The only word of caution was from my uncle (a doctor) who simply said "just be careful, and stay the f u c k away from herion". Now at this point fo my life I was looking terrible, skinny, gaunt, pale, bad skin, looking like crap. I was also working a dead end job in hospitality, living a crap lifestyle, smoking a pack a day and generally going nowhere.
Now fast forward 2.5 years. I have gained 35kg naturally, kicked my old habits, eating super well, at uni, and a million times happier and healthier. But now the questions and comments come. Family has told me they are worried by my lifting, my obsessive food requirments, that I'm taking things too far. People who have not seen me for a while all question me on steriod use, then when I explain to them I am 100% natural they go on to explain to me the perils or steriods and how they have disasterous side effects. I cant tell you how many people have said this with a drink in their hand, a smoke in their mouth, or in a few occasions the blissful hum of some MDMA in the bloodstream. Oh the f u c k i n g irony!
Now please dont think I'm advocating use of AAS, as I said I dont even use them myself. But I am trying to say that the bad press and huge amount of misinformation on the issue has reached a ridiculous level. As someone I have a great deal of respect said "Make up your own mind. Dont let the government be your moral compass".
