John, in my opinion the steroid section was a very well done piece. It really showcased the hypocrisy in allowing things like alcohol and cigarettes, both of which kill many, many people a year, and not allowing medical supervision of individuals that want to make themselves bigger or stronger. You've made a life long fan out of me not just because of the steroids story, but because the entire show was fantastic.

Yeah, I agree; I thought the piece was very well done. I applaud your efforts on revealing the truth behind steroids. The media propaganda  is tiresome and it is refreshing to see someone try to enlighten the general population for a change. I would love to see more in-depth coverage on this later on. You really impressed me and earned yourself a regular viewer. 

He didn't condone anything. He brought a big issue into the light. An issue we need to see, and face head on.

Please, would you like to explain to me how women being administered exogenous male hormones without their knowledge in any way correlates to the intelligent and safe use of AAS ?

What a great piece you did tonight,John. All of them in fact were very unique and brought a different way of thinking to the table. Giving us all food for thought to go out and do our own research and then form our own conclusions. Hopefully, you'll do more on anabolic steroids and their pro use. I've followed you from a young age, as I am only twenty-one now, but I will continue to do so.

Carson

My best friend "Mandy" married an army guy who, a year and a half into their marriage, started using steroids.  She said his behavior was like night and day, that he became verbally and physically abusive, was totally unpredictable, and had very poor impulse control. After the usual (police,separation, reconciliation, counseling), she started talking to recovering abusers and their spouses at his meetings. She told me that most people there told her that never had they seen such a profound physical AND emotional change in such a short period of time. I told her she should meet some meth addicts, but to the point.  I totally agree that people have the right to do what they want with their own bodies, but the problem with some drugs is that they change a persons physical and chemical make up, without them realizing what is happening to them, until someone is able to point it out and unfortunately that person is usually the one who got hurt. The rules that society creates that are rarely questioned are the ones where others have the potential to be harmed needlessly. Thoughts?

No doubt that it's mood altering.  But so is alcohol, prescription drugs, OTC drugs, general food, & sugar.  All those things start mood changes in people. Sugar makes kids very rambunctious and now overly diagnosed as ADHD or ADD.

But you should have the right to do what u want.  And it's unfortunate that she seen that in him ... but as soon as he started . she should've left him.  I'm sorry she experienced such situations ... but some men get violent without help from any meds or alcohol.  Sometimes mere frustration gets them.  And if it wasn't' the steroids then I'm sure something would've made him strike out.

Yes, most likely. The differences she noticed were so blatent because he was pretty laid back before he started using. She went back to him because she thought he would go back to the way he was. But he never was the same. Mood altering substances are fine if that's your thing. I've done plently and i spell just fine(!) but i figured out for myself what was cool (german beer and greens) and what to stay away from (everything else). Im glad i never did anything that damaged me, but i can't help but feel that many people just don't think about consequences first, and we the taxpayers end up paying for it. Im guess i'm just sick of paying for greedy geezers and stupid people who eat tigers and take steroids....     Going to bed.  Good night America from Detroit!!!

How in the world does this story apply in any way to what we're talking about?

Well, maybe if he'd had access to proper medical supervision while using the drugs this wouldn't have happened (if it was even caused by steroids). A lot of the side effects that occur are because people are using these drugs without any real knowledge. People are always going to want to be bigger and stronger, and in the end making the stuff illegal only causes more problems.

I am sorry to hear about your friend Mandy. I'm surprised she said her Husband was laid back to begin with. Steroids only amplify existing aggressive traits. If someone has a short fuse to begin with they are more prone to exhibiting aggression whereas someone who is more controlled will be fine. However, some handle it better than others. Steroids get a bad rap when the select few lash out, thus the phrase 'roid rage'. The following is not aimed at you Jenwal420, just general information.

Compare the aforementioned to some other drugs that are widely used and legal. Alcohol was responsible for 12,998 driving fatalities out of  37,313 in America in the year 2007 alone. Smoking cigarrettes kills 438,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of "secondhand" exposure to tobacco's carcinogens. OTC drugs like Tylenol and Aspirin kill 106,000 Americans per year and send MILLIONS to the hospital. What about the obsesity pandemic ? Obesity and related complications cost our healthcare system HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of dollars annually. Obesity related deaths number 300,000 annually in the US. According to the Center for Disease control Steroids cause 3 deaths per year, WORLDWIDE !  The SAFE and INTELLIGENT use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids should be legal. People want to be healthy and look better, what's wrong with that ? Alcohol and cigarrettes offer zero benefits for the user and have myriad deterimental effects. 

Please don't waste our time with studies that have not been peer reviewed; they lack credibility and make you appear to be reaching.  Am I condoning AAS use to minors, of course not. Please show me the studies you refer to on bone and muscle deformity issues with AAS; I guarantee you have none. Keep in mind that Growth Hormone in not a steroid.  Heart Valve damage is a stretch, as the only way to incur heart damage is by using AAS for EXTENDED periods of time, years, without proper cycling and/or blood pressure medication. You can achieve heart damage far easier by consuming copious amounts of unhealthy food and becoming obese.

Why are you trying to brace your arguments with examples of teenagers and females using ?  No one is condoning the use of these compounds to young people.

Private sports leagues and other organizations should continue to have the right to prohbit their athletes from using roids while under contract should they so choose, but every other adult should  have the legal right to knowingly take them without a government or medical permission slip whether they be potentially harmful or not.

Most medications/drugs that require a prescription in the U.S. do not require one in Mexico because most Mexican consumers take the responsibility of inquiring about potentially harmful side effects before consuming medications.   People in the U.S. should have that right and responsibility as well instead of being subjected to the physician lobby's "consumer protectionism", whose real motive is to make more $$$ by requiring patients to pay them for a consultation for a prescription first. 

Mexicans being able to buy antibiotics over the counter leads to people taking their anitbiotics until they start feeling better and then they stop.  They don't have a Dr. explaining to them the dangers of not taking the full course of treatment.  This contributes to antibiotic resistant bacteria such as MRSA which is becoming more and more common.

Many incidents of high school athletes abusing steroids have occurred and continue to occur in this country.

I already replied to a statement like this in the "What the heck happened to you" thread, but I'll summarize briefly. For the last few years, Texas has spent $6 million on drug testing high school athletes. Thus far they've conducted over 29,000 tests, and intend to finish up with 50,000. Guess how many kids have been caught using steroids?

Eleven. Yes, that's right. Out of 29,000 high school athletes, eleven were doping. That comes down to over $500,000 for each cheater caught. How many students out of a group of 29,000 do you think abuse much more dangerous drugs, such as alcohol and cocaine? Heck, I knew dozens just in my tiny high school alone. Students abusing steroids is a complete non-issue.
I agree that steroids shouldn't be legal for those under 18, but an adult should be able to put whatever they want in their body. There is absolutely no reason that steroids are illegal except for scaremongering and misinformed activists.

Those that think this was good reporting don't understand steroids.  My letter to Mr. Stossel:

Mr. Stossel,   Your recent coverage of steroid usage was sensationalistic and quite frankly, lousy reporting.  As an individual who suffered an injury from someone most likely on steroids, you should be ashamed of yourself.   Let me explain the hypocrisy of your reporting on this issue.  There are reasons it is a Class X felony to distribute.   To get the performance or vanity results desired by the vast majority of steroid users, the dosage levels cause dangerous alternations to the body.  All the side effects you listed for other drugs were either typically minor OR would cause the user to stop and seek other treatment.    First, steroids cause the growth plates to close in the body, stunting growth.  So what age does doctor prescriptions become legal?   Steroids can also be considered a gateway drug.  When dosages are so high for the desired muscle building effect, the euphoria experienced can be very addicting leading to other drugs.  Also, this heightened state of being can cause aggressive behavior.  You experienced that first hand.  How many other (athlete) interviewees have assaulted their interviewer in history?  Ever see a user at the gym act "amped up"?  Probably not.   Damage caused to the kidneys and liver ARE documented and can also occur in dosages required for building muscle.  Do you think a drug that causes natural testosterone production to shutdown so that breast tissue forms in men is really a safe drug?  Hair loss, in itself as serious symptom if ill, and acne (or among users, excessive, very ugly "backney") are not exactly minor side effects.  Do you believe a minimum of 20lbs of water retention is good for the body?  Steroids have an effect more profound than Viagra as well due to a sharply increased sex drive AND ability.  What about hair growth for women?  Or an enlarged ####?  I've heard firsthand the permanent side effects steroids have on a woman's voice.  It's horrible.    Do you have any idea why hundreds of thousands of injuries have occurred due to steroid use?  How many athletic careers have ended because the ligaments become so strong that they literally pull the tendons off the bone?   You can't regulate a drug like this because a "safe" level isn't enough to achieve the desired results by most of the users.   How about when users, carrying 30 to 100lbs MORE body weight than their body was meant to, repeatedly lifting weights 50 to 200lbs MORE than they could naturally for years for EACH exercise, find that by the time they are 40 years old their joints ache, that they become broken down men in the years they could still be pain free.  Do you have any idea how mentally addictive superhuman strength and looks can be?   I suggest next time you stop sensationalizing the issue and talk to those that have done studies and interview FORMER users, not those enjoying their temporary benefits.  Your job, as a journalist is to report the facts, all the facts; not create hype.   Sincerely, a drug-free, 40 year old, healthy weightlifter with 26 years in the gyms....     Rob Eckaus Campbell, CA The End of the Horsepower Race Ban Carpool Lanes! New Performance Standard:  60-130mph All at http://www.examiner.com/x-5826-San-Jose-Autos-Examiner