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jasoncala... jasoncala...
 
December 19, 2008 08:05 PM

Should people who know the risks be allowed to take steroids?

Last month I watched the film Bigger Stronger Faster on a flight to Japan. It was a very compelling discourse on personal freedom and the evolution of our species through advances in science (think, plastic surgery, performance enhancing drugs, etc).

My question today, the day when the star of Bigger Stronger Faster Mike Bell has died, is:

Should people who know the risks be allowed to take steroids?
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bmlhailsto... bmlhailsto...
 
 December 19, 2008 08:52 PM
I used to sell steroids, so I have a particular edge in answering this question. When used very safely, and cycled properly, steroids are extremely safe, but it takes a lot of education. The average person doesn't know enough about testosterone to safely use it and not develop gyno, or damage their liver. I don't think that steroids should be available commercially because the majority of people who want to use them shouldn't be using them. You could say that banning them causes more people to try and use them less safely and causes more issues, but unless the government was also going to launch an education program, and make people take classes before starting steroids, then people would still be using them improperly and on a wider scale.

They are much more complex than people realize and you must know your stuff if you want to use them, especially testosterone based products. However, I fully support the use of HGH for all people, and want the ban removed. It is very safe for most people to use and has overwhelming benefits.
Source(s):
personal experience in the Fitness Field.

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colttrickl... colttrickl...
 
December 19, 2008 08:13 PM
That is a tough question. I would say no. They (the users) can end up harming others due to the side effects. I am also assuming that you are talking about anabolic steroids. Also, they can obviously be very dangerous to the body when used in high doses over a long period of time.

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jonathan h jonathan h
 
December 19, 2008 08:21 PM
People should be allowed to do whatever they want, as long as the only person they are harming is themselves. This is the justification for legalization of tobacco. In fact, we even allow legalization of alcohol, even though it's abundantly clear that alcohol influences behavior that is undoubtedly harmful to others. It's one of the trade-offs we enter into by living in a free society.

Steroids should of course be legal, as should marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, etc.
Source(s):
http://www.totse.com/en/drugs/legal_issues_of_drug_use/12reasns.html


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mike mike
 
December 19, 2008 08:29 PM
Agreed, people should be able to live and die as they please.

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brownbagco... brownbagco...
 
December 19, 2008 08:26 PM
The assumption that users will harm others is not relevant to whether informed people should be allowed to take steroids. That is like saying that simply because I don't like someone, I shouldn't be allowed to buy a gun because I could kill them with it.
As for my answer, I believe that if you know the facts and understand the consequences, you are free to make the decision concerning steroids (or smoking, drugs, etc). If we start down the path of outlawing your ability to make decisions, then we are no longer a free society - we are captives to the will of others.
Personally I wouldn't take them, but then again, I don't want to be super strong and have more muscles than Superman.

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bugsandins... bugsandins...
 
December 19, 2008 08:26 PM
If people know that they can die from the side effects, then I feel that people should be allowed to take them. There is a chance that they will hurt innocent bystanders, but the same ideas can be applied to any drug.

Let's take alcohol as an example. In high doses and over long time periods it can be detrimental to your health, even deadly. People get hurt because someone else was drunk all the time (drunk driving especially) and they were not responsible. Many people get aggressive when they drink, just like steroids make people aggressive. If we start banning substances like steroids, then alcohol should go too I guess, and many prescription drugs, other over the counter drugs, sugar, coffee, caffeine, tee, ice tea, and so on.

My point is that if people know the risks when they start taking a drug and they get in trouble or die because of it, they should not receive sympathy, and the rest of us (responsible people) should not be forbidden to partake in using legal drugs (not that I support drug use).

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univrsltra... univrsltra...
 
December 19, 2008 08:42 PM
Personally, I don't agree with the use of steroids unless it's been deemed medically necessary. But as a society, we have to balance personal freedom with the overall wellness of our citizens. The reason we have organizations like the FDA and DEA is to protect ourselves from dangers for which we may not be prepared. Heroine is illegal, but other opiates are used medically as controlled substances. Cigarettes and alcohol are ubiquitous. As a society, we must make decisions about where to draw the line, and we won't all agree. But, if enough people believe that steroids should be available to the public, they can make it happen. However, I personally believe that the dangers of use and abuse outweigh the potential benefits,and that it is right for their use to be controlled.

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johnsonaar... johnsonaar...
 
December 19, 2008 08:43 PM
Absolutely! But they should not be allowed to compete with those that do not. In the medical feild they call it "informed consent" and it is required for a lot of medical treatments.

If people are allowed to take these drugs they should be forced to perform (assuming athletes here) in sperate leagues.

I don't think there is a ton of room for interpretation here, as long as a person is capable of fully understanding the consequences of their acitions, and it only affect them, they should be able to do whatever they want. Suicide, drugs, or anything else they fancy.

As long as it doesn't harm anyone else, and they understand what they are choosing, why does anyone have the right to tell them not to?

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univrsltra... univrsltra...
 
December 19, 2008 09:15 PM
The fault I find with your logic (which I see espoused above as well)
is the presumtion that "it only affect them." While it's true that we are cellular in nature, we are not isolated from each other. Just because we are individuals, it doesn't mean that our actions don't affect others, especially when those actions are potentially dangerous. None of the things you listed above (suicide, drugs, etc.) could honestly be said to only affect the individuals engaging in the specific activity. Everyone is affected by these actions, from the police and doctors, to families and innocent bystanders. These things affect us all on a societal level, and as such we must make societal decisions as to how we will deal with them. This is exactly what we have done, and why the things you listed are illegal today, but if you believe they should not be, it is not too late. We can change the laws and legalize suicide or drugs. But please don't argue that they only affect the individual involved, because it's simply not true.

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surfbits surfbits
 
December 19, 2008 08:48 PM
Yes, unless the steroids are classified as illegal, then it should be treated as any illegal drugs.

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kublakant kublakant
 
December 19, 2008 08:57 PM
Absolutely. I am firmly of the opinion that people should be entitled to do whatever damage to their body that they like provided they know the risks and are willing to accept the consequences.

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chickichic... chickichic...
 
December 19, 2008 09:02 PM
People who know the risks of smoking cigarettes do it anyway. What's the difference?

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ledretch ledretch
 
December 19, 2008 11:50 PM
IMHO, the question is "should these people be provided in steroids despite of the risks?" everybody knows that driving after some glasses of alcool is dangerous (for them and other). Everybody knows that smoking leads to lung cancer. and? people still smoke, and still drink before driving!
Alcohol is allowed, tobacco is allowed, why asking about steroids?

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