Making The Case For Anabolic Steroids

Disclaimer: A previous version of this article was published through The Odyssey in February of 2016. This article has been slightly edited to affect recency as well as different content from the time.

Anabolic steroids became illegal as the result of the Anabolic Steroids Control Act (1990). This law put anabolic steroids on the same level as meth and cocaine. The act was expanded in 2004 as well as 2014. In addition, there were the Congressional hearings about steroids in 2005 that included Curt Schilling, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and was overseen by then Representative Bernie Sanders, former representatives Tom Davis, Henry Waxman, and countless others. Currently, a popular stance by more freedom minded politicians, such as Rand Paul, and libertarians like Gary Johnson and Austin Petersen have taken the position to end the War on Drugs. I am all for ending this war, as it has arguably done more harm than good and in-proportionally imprisoned African-Americans as well as turning Americans into hardened criminals for relatively small crimes. In this article, I will argue the merits of why ending the War on Drugs should not be limited to marijuana, but it should also include anabolic steroids.

1. It is not the Federal Government's job to tell what we can (or cannot) put into our bodies

Many people debate over the role government should play in the lives of average citizens. I take the position that Americans should have the freedom to decide for themselves what they put in their bodies. This should include drugs. People make conscious decisions to use drugs, they make conscious decisions to drink, to smoke, to overeat. It is not the government or the tax payer's fiscal responsibility to pay to keep these people incarcerated. Attempts to regulate what people can and can't put in our bodies have failed: between reducing soft drink sizes in New York as well the 18th Amendment, which was ultimately canceled out by the 21st Amendment.

2. Tobacco, alcohol, and fast food are perfectly legal to sell

These substances are proven to cause damage to people. More people have died from the use of tobacco and alcohol than anabolic steroids, yet they remain on store shelves. If businesses are allowed to sell knowingly harmful substances, why is it something that can be used responsibly, such as steroids doesn't get the same classification? America has an obesity rating of 34.9% (CDC). This is seemingly the highest of the industrialized world. Given the rising costs of healthcare in the country and deaths related to these products, why do we not make them illegal? This is only conjecture, but I would argue that alcohol, tobacco, and fast food are legal because they generate revenue and provide job opportunities. Steroids, as far as I am aware, provide neither opportunity.

3. No drug/supplement is completely safe

Belching, bad breath, nausea, loose stools, rash, and nosebleeds. Can you tell me what those are side effects of? Those are side effects from fish oil, which have been proven to help with many health problems such as lowering triglycerides, preventing heart disease, as well as being possibly effective for osteoporosis, preventing kidney problems, bipolar disorder, and countless others (rxlist.com). Where any drug or substance becomes dangerous is in its misuse or overuse. The small amount of deaths that can be attributed to steroids have been done in the case of abuse. In the case of steroids, it also depends on the kind you take as well as how long you take it

4. Societal double-standards are apparent

In our society we think it is acceptable to enhance our vision as well as getting superficial "improvements", such as breast implants and liposuction. Women are also okay with taking birth control pills. But birth control pills are steroids too. So do we oppose steroids or do we oppose certain applications of them? In addition to this, we can take pain medication if our back hurts. Not feeling much motivation to write that twenty page paper? Drink some coffee, energy drinks, or soda, given whatever your preference might be. We have this okay for enhancing our performance chemically, but anabolic steroids is where we draw the line? I believe this is where the argument of how steroids are "dangerous" will once again come into play; again, caffeine can be dangerous in large doses.

I'm not saying the decriminalization of anabolic steroids so I personally can shoot up. I personally wouldn't use steroids, but that doesn't mean that I wish to stand in the way of what someone wants to put in their bodies. If someone wants to smoke, that's their choice. If someone wants to drink? That's their choice. Someone wants to eat a Big Mac and drink a large Coke? That's their business and only theirs. At the end of the day, Americans should have the freedom to decide what they put into their own bodies, especially if that something inflicts little to no harm.