Advocates of steroid
law reform are very disappointed that
Democratic presidential candidate Barrack
Obama selected Senator Joseph Biden
as his vice presidential nominee. Senator
Biden was the chief architect of the
Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990
that criminalized the possession of
anabolic steroids for non-medical purposes.
Biden also wrote the Anabolic Steroid
Control Act of 2004 which opened the
door for significantly harsher penalties
for steroid possession and steroid distribution;
this has resulted in the increased prosecution
of steroid users over the past few years
who are treated as dangerous criminals
with the worst penalties for the non-medical
use of steroids in history. Senator
Biden has been on his anti-steroid crusade
for almost two decades.
In events like the Chris
Benoit family tragedy the alleged perpetrator’s
characteristics inevitably suggest hypotheses
and the search for confirming evidence
begins. Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic
steroids (AAS) were blamed before prescription
steroids were found, as researchers
and commentators alike called forth
the popular roid rage connection. If
anabolic steroids are blamed and the
richness of these lives ignored, then
the opportunity to prevent such rare
events goes unrealized. Singling out
a drug to blame leads to fiery rhetoric,
congressional hearings, prohibition
and scare tactics; none of these have
succeeded in curbing drug use, especially
among those at greatest risk for harm.
Most steroid users do not experience
negative effects and hence distrust
the message and the messengers, perhaps
most notably among those who should
listen. Research has shown this many
times.
According to the body
of common knowledge, anabolic steroids
are dangerous and deadly drugs. The
mainstream media have thoroughly vilified
these hormones for several decades.
The use by mature adults of any amount
of anabolic hormones to enhance physical
appearance is invariably labeled anabolic
steroid "abuse" and, consequently, the
average American lumps the athletic
steroid user into the same depraved
category as the heroin or cocaine user.
Law enforcement agents and prosecutors
readily proceed accordingly in furtherance
of our national "War on Drugs." Only
the most progressive physicians accept
the legitimacy of anabolic steroid use
for any but the most limited medical
purposes. Understandably then, the proposition
that our current approach to the non-medical
use of anabolic steroids is flawed,
failing and in need of reform is provocative
to many.
Discussions of the potential
role of anabolic-androgenic steroids
(AAS) in suicide surfaced recently when
AAS and their use among professional
athletes were blamed for several suicides
of young adult males. These allegations
inspired a congressional investigation
and renewed anti-steroid rhetoric, but
little dispassionate evaluation. The
testimony of experts and grieving parents
notwithstanding, the role of AAS in
suicide is not clear. The recent tragedies
that spurred these investigations involved
late adolescent males, yet provoked
widespread condemnations of AAS. Problems
among adolescent drug users cannot inform
issues of adult use (or vice-versa);
adolescents are not simply younger adults.
Efforts to ascribe such events to a
single cause can distract attention
from other important indicators that
need to be noted.
Two additional guilty
pleas have been linked to the Applied
Pharmacy Services federal steroid investigation
codenamed Operation Netroids. Dr. David
A. Wilbirt and his fiancée, Candace
V. Toler, have both pleaded to conspiracy
to illegally dispensing and distributing
anabolic steroids. Physicians Scott
Corliss, Kenneth Olds, Kelly Tucker
and Pamela Pyle have previously pleaded
guilty to steroid conspiracy charges
while dispensing various anabolic steroids
via Applied Pharmacy Services (APS);
Anti-aging expert James Abernathy has
also been linked to APS.
An investigative report
claims that anabolic steroids may have
caused the deaths of three clients of
a Phoenix-based longevity clinic in
the past year. The clients purchased
anabolic steroids including testosterone,
Anadrol and trenbolone from the Revolution
Medical Center clinic. Doctors and investigators
are trying to prove that the steroid
treatment prescribed by Revolution “caused”
the suicides and deaths. But the medical
examiners in each of the respective
cases did not suspect anabolic steroids
as a cause of death and did not run
a toxicology for them. In fact, the
autopsy of Aaron Atchley found clear
evidence that his death was due to an
accidental prescription drug overdose
involving of Xanax, Oxycontin and cocaine!
Jeffrey Weiser, DDS.
retired from the practice of dentistry
in May 2001; he retained his DEA controlled
substances registration enabling him
to continue writing scripts for prescription
medications. Bodybuilders paid Weiser
to write prescriptions for various anabolic
steroids such as testosterone, nandrolone,
oxandrolone and stanozolol; human growth
hormone; and ancillary medications such
as HCG, Clomid and Nolvadex through
his “personal fitness consulting business.”
Weiser advertised his services on various
bodybuilding forums and found many customers.
Bryan Wilson of Pro
Pharm Laboratories pleaded guilty to
federal steroid distribution and money
laundering charges as a result of Operation
Raw Deal. Investigators amassed significant
evidence in the case including the use
of a confidential informant to purchase
steroids from “Pro Pharm” as well as
video surveillance of April Wilson shipping
multiple steroid packages at the local
post office. Bryan Wilson was arrested
iwhen he picked up approximately one
kilogram of steroid powder imported
from China.
The Owensboro Police
Department in Kentucky seized 150 vials
of anabolic steroids when they busted
Charles Jowers on August 21, 2008. They
also seized $200,000 cash along with
a car and motorcycle. He has been alleged
to have sold steroids on various bodybuilding
forums under the following handles -
“HCP,” “QGL Rep,” “Gymvet,” “The Champ,”
and “HardcorePharm.”
Mikal Gunn Schrage aka
Maverick pleaded guilty to steroid-related
charges in an agreement with federal
prosecutors, Mikal Schrage was indicted
as part of Operation Raw Deal (and regionally
under Operation Juice Box) on 26 counts
related to possession, conspiracy importation,
manufacture and distribution of anabolic
steroids as well as money laundering.
Even with a plea agreement, Maverick
still faces significant prison time
and financial penalties.
Democratic
VP Nominee Joseph Biden Criminalized
Anabolic Steroids and Put Steroid Users
in Jail
Steroid
Doctor for Pro Wrestlers Pleads Guilty
in Applied Pharmacy Services Investigation
Pro
Pharm Labs Pleads Guilty to Steroid
Distribution Charges
