UK Considers Ban on Web Steroids over ‘Body Image’ Fears
Date: 22-09-2010
Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamUnited Kingdom |
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British Government expert advisors are pressing officials to put a ban on online imports of anabolic steroids. The advisors’ worries stem from growing concerns about their indiscriminate usage by teenage boys and young men in order to improve their “body image”
A report by The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) palces improtance on this ban as the steroids sold online are often contaminated, out of date, or delivered with the wrong dosage instructions.
Further findings in the report also expressed the alarming fact that an estimated 50,000 people in the past year have used anabolic steroids for non-medical purposes, such as bodybuilding, the UK Guardian reported.
The ACMD’s chair, Professor Leslie Iversen, said steroids were now much too easily available: “If you search online you will see endless offers. The ACMD is the lone voice against this tide of promotion on the internet. We think [an import ban] would have a considerable dampening effect on demand. It may be difficult to enforce but it would act as a simple deterrent.”
“There is no question that the number using the drug for sporting reasons is now a minority. The real growth has come in young users who want to improve their body image.”
However, durg experts question the authenticity of total number of people, who had participated in the study. They say that most people would not come clean about their usage or consumption of drugs. Although, not many deaths, caused mainly due to liver damage, have been reported due to such consumption of anabolic steroids, nevertheless, it is something to worry about. When young people consume them, it may eventually affect their normal physicla growth and induce masculinising effects in women and children.
The ACMD says anabolic steroids should remain a class C illegal drug, which can be bought on prescription from a pharmacist. The drug advisory body says that it is “high-time” to classify it illegal, if an indiavidual makes or purchases such substances online from overseas websites. Yet, Personal possession, including bringing them into the country, will however remain legal as the authorities believe criminalising users would simply push the problem underground.
The UK Government on its part said that it “would review the recommendations” and “respond shortly”
There have several exchanges of statements in the past few weeks, over the decriminalizing of drugs and criticisms from scietific experts about the British drug policies.
