Why are steroids illegal?

Anabolic steroids are the synthetic version of the male hormone testosterone. Doctors prescribe them for therapeutic use, but they are commonly abused by athletes and bodybuilders as a means to improve their performance and gain muscle mass quickly. Steroids have harmful and potentially fatal effects on the body, and they have been a controlled substance in the United States since 1991.

History

Congress made anabolic steroids a controlled substance on Feb. 27, 1991. They are a Schedule III controlled substance; other drugs in that category are substances that are known to have legitimate medical uses, as well as the potential for physical or psychological addiction. On the date the law was passed, everyone holding a supply of anabolic steroids was required to surrender it to Drug Enforcement Administration authorities or transfer it to a government-approved distributor.

Short-Term Physical Effects

Steroids are illegal because many of their effects are adverse--and they take hold quickly. They can cause tumors on the liver, jaundice and high blood pressure. They cause testicles to shrink, can cause infertility, and can cause men to develop breasts and lose their hair. In women, they can disrupt the menstrual cycle, cause the facial hair to grow and the voice to deepen. In adolescence, they can do all of these things as well as stunt growth.

Short-Term Psychological Effects

Steroid users are also susceptible to "roid rage." Symptoms include feelings of paranoia and jealousy, extreme aggression and irritability. Steroid users also have a dangerous feeling of invincibility, which can lead them to make poor decisions.

Long-Term Physical Effects

Steroids are also illegal because in the long term, they take a serious toll on the heart. They raise "bad" cholesterol and lower "good" cholesterol. This causes a buildup of plaque in the arteries that restricts blood flow to the heart. If blood cannot reach the heart, the user may suffer a heart attack. If blood cannot reach the brain, the user can suffer a stroke.

Steroids also increase the risk of blood clots in the vessels, which can disrupt blood flow and damage heart muscle, leaving the heart incapable of pumping blood effectively.

Trafficking

Even though steroids are illegal when not prescribed by a doctor, dangerous and looked down upon by the public and many in the bodybuilding and sports worlds, people continue to use them. They are produced in illegal laboratories, prescribed inappropriately and smuggled from Mexico and other countries, where they can be obtained without prescription.

Penalties

Possession of steroids without a prescription carries a federal penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of at least $1,000 for a first offense.

Dealing or trafficking steroids carries a maximum federal penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for a first offense. The penalty and fine double on a second offense. Many states have also adopted separate fines and penalties.