The global steroid trade poses serious health risks for individuals who use drugs like anabolic steroids, which are synthetic hormones that mimic testosterone and increase muscle growth. The drug is illegal to possess without a prescription in most countries, and it is often adulterated and poorly regulated in the black market. The illicit trade contributes to the rise of health problems in some nations and fuels international criminal networks, as well as posing significant challenges for the pharmaceutical industry, the police, and customs.
AUSTRALIA _ It’s not the sun, sea, or sex that draws Australian amateur bodybuilder Jarrad Fisher back to the seedy Thai beach town of Pattaya – it’s the performance-enhancing drugs. He and many of his fellow travelers in the burgeoning amateur bodybuilding subculture travel to Asia to buy the illegal drugs that are a key part of their quest for bigger muscles.
In a pharmacy on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, Spectrum was able to purchase two anabolic-androgenic steroids and a dangerous weight-loss product within minutes for a fraction of what they sell for on Australia’s black market. In a practice called “stacking,” these drugs are used together for their muscle-building effect, which increases levels of the male sex hormone testosterone.
In the US, steroids are classified as Schedule II controlled substances – meaning they have some medical uses but are also subject to rigorous testing and regulation. A US Food and Drug Administration officer says drugs that mimic testosterone can cause a host of side effects, including shrinkage of the testicles in men, breast tissue development in women, higher cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart and liver problems. Steroids Thailand