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Lots of bodybuilders and athletes use steroids knowingly or unknowingly without a concern of the legal status of using them. Most of the sports bodies in the world do not tolerate any form of steroid use, in fact, they ban the athlete depending on the laws of the country. Apart from the sports laws, there are legal ramifications one may have to face with their use. As the law differs from one country to another, it makes sense to understand the current laws with regard to their legal status wherever one may live. One thing is for certain, apart from medical use, nonmedical use or for enhancing one’s performance is not legal.
Laws on Steroid use
In most countries of the West, use of steroid is not legal whether it is for sports or general use. It is only legal with a medical need, that too under the supervision of a medical practitioner and also with a prescription from them. Some bodybuilders tend to use steroids for quicker results. There are steroids available for muscle growth, strength, reducing weight and stamina. Some of the steroids in this category falls under Controlled Substance Act in the US and similar rules apply in the UK, Germany and Australia. An androgenic anabolic steroid, Dianabol is not legal online or in pharmacies without a prescription. But most of the users of this drug procure them from countries whose steroid laws are not stringent. But even the import of these drugs is not legal and may end up facing the laws of the country of residence.
Legal Anecdotes
There are many known cases where the US Government has taken action against users, distributors, illegal manufacturers or home-based manufacturers of steroids. Ben Johnson, Marion Jones, Lance Armstrong, Justin Gatlin, the Russian Weight Lifting Association, etc are some of the famous names whohave been banned by the various Sports Federations. There are instances where individuals who manufactured the steroid in homes were prosecuted. In 2015, an individual manufactured the steroid in home do-it-yourself style and tried to sell them online and in person and was prosecuted by the US government and he landed in jail for four years. This case served as an eye-opener for would be manufacturers and is believed not done anymore. However, there are ways one can obtain steroids illegally from Asian countries like India or China.
Safety Issues
However, one may obtain steroids for personal use, safety is an important factor when using them. Most steroids are not safe to use due to their side effects. They are known to cause side-effects ranging from discomfort to life-threatening. These may include headaches, diarrhea, nausea, mood changes, kidney issues, liver problems, high BP, heart ailments, etc. If this happens to medical grade steroids, one can’t imagine the effects of unsupervised steroids manufactured in thehome or illegal labs where quality control is non-existent. Purchasing androgenic anabolic steroids like Dianabol is not legal online whatever may be the end use. One should be aware of the legal consequences and weigh the pros and cons before trying them.
