Steroids

When I first read the title for this blog, I thought here we go again; another video about how steroids are bad and how they should be illegal. Then, once I started to watch the video, it was interesting to hear that there hasn’t been any evidence by all the drug and health companies that steroids were, actually bad in the long run. The fact that they talked to a doctor who had received all of his degrees from Ivy League colleges gave the story credibility. The one downfall to the video was that they didn’t really address the major impact steroids have on the athletic community. They did address the issue a little, but this video could make high school students think steroids are okay to use. However, this study was taken on healthy, adult males. If high school aged boys use steroids it could have a different effect because their bodies’ haven’t matured completely. Also, the video fails to mention the fact that steroids are a controlled substance in the United States. This means that people are allowed to have steroids in their possession, but they must have a prescription given by a doctor. With this fact, this kind of negates the issue of whether these steroids are good or bad because they’re illegal without a prescription. I don’t think steroids can be used responsibly because once these men start the steroids and see the results; it is more than likely that they will be able to stop easily.
Steroid use is becoming a bigger problem, or so it seems, in sports and in just real life than before. It is a real shame to think that people can’t hit over 700 home runs, without the use of steroids, anymore. What happened to exercising, lifting weights, eating properly, and getting enough sleep to help you recover? Why do people now feel like they need steroids to do all these things? We have become such an “I don’t want to do it myself” generation, that we can’t even depend on the basics to make us become top athletes: practicing everyday, eating healthily, lifting weights, and getting enough sleep to “recover” from workouts. Testing should definitely be regulated to keep sports clean because it seems that everyone is using steroids now. There shouldn’t be different standards for professional athletes vs. high school athletes because if you are using steroids, you are cheating in my eyes. Also, the same steroid testing should be regulated throughout different sports. I think the only exception to that statement is baseball and track & field should have more testing because it seems those two sports are the problematic ones.
As much stress as athletes are put under to be great at their sports, it shouldn’t be an excuse to use steroids. We look up to all the greats: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Michael Jordan, Lou Gehrig, and Wilt Chamberlin. They were pressured to be the best at their sports as well, but they never used steroids, or at least were found guilty of it. However, this just proves that athletes can still be great at their sports and not feel pressured to use steroids. I think if people think we are forcing steroids into all sports, than that is just an excuse to let athletes use them. I, personally, hated to hear that Barry Bonds passed Hank Aarons’ record for most home runs because Barry Bonds cheated. I think most people were outraged as well. So, I don’t think people are being forced to use steroids because most people, I believe, prefer the hard-workers to the cheaters.