Here's an interesting question. If it's proven that there are long term benefits to moderate steroid use, is it ethical to ban them for non competitive athletes?
But, in the medical sense, there are a number of layers that restrict access to substances, even over the counter drugs are subject to regulation and laws, as well as prescription drugs, research chemicals, known toxins, and hazardous chemicals. All for many different reasons.
The class of anabolic steroids that body builders and weight lifters use are definitely going to land you in jail if you have them or provide them to a peer.
It doesn’t mean they are completely unavailable, but really, they are almost entirely outlawed to the same degree as crack, meth and so many other drugs around the world. Often veterinarians are the black or grey market source.
They cause harm, to the point of leaving behind a wake of debilitating destruction among the lives of users, causing awful damage that emerges later, in ruinously subtle ways, or suddenly killing without warning, by way of cardiac problems or strokes.
People use them, the results can be frightening and permanent, and a few years later, deadly.
> People use them, the results can be frightening and permanent, and a few years later, deadly.
This is exaggerated. There is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and maybe irritability at high doses. Closer to the risks of taking a medication than a street drug.
Which street drugs? The comparison reminds of making the distinction between "natural" and "chemical" drugs. Sounds nice if you want to convey an image but not a sensible generalization. You will find quite a lot of street drugs that are less dangerous then some types of medication and vice versa.
All of those are quite a bit more dangerous than the average medicine you get prescribed by our doctor just because of addiction potential and inconsistent quality of the end product.
Unless you are talking about the purity of the product, i dont see a sensible case for the comparison of street drugs with pharmaceuticals.
But nothing prevents people from using them, same with other drugs like cocaine and heroine.
Furthermore, for other drugs like cocaine and heroine, in many countries not only distribution is banned, but also possession and use itself.
Now interesting question is: if someone wants to have big muscles - is it serious disease? In some sense it's similar to silicon breast implants - in both cases it's mental 'disease'/disfunction/discomfort - so some doctor's help is needed. Or surgery due to bad looking nose eg.
Anabolic steroids are a Class C drug in the UK so in general are illegal to possess and distribute unless prescribed.
Steroids are not legal lol
They are legal medicine
Anabolic steroids are illegal in the US and UK (unless otherwise prescribed) whilst most of the other classes in the UK at least are not illegal to possess or even distribute
So they are legal - only access is controlled (prescription from doctor).
Alcohol and cigarettes are legal - only access is controlled (age).
Violence is legal - only access is controlled (police).
Tortures are not legal - no one has access to do that.
Capital punishment is not legal (in some countries) - no one has access to do that.
But let's assume it was, I don't think ethics ever came into question when making substances illegal.