The Ad Council recent asked Christopher Bell (director of steroid documentary Bigger Stronger Faster) for his input in a new steroid awareness campaign. Bigger Stronger Faster exposed the contemporary steroid hysteria in the United States and the overstated and exaggerated side effects of anabolic steroids. Some people have consider a factual evaluation of anabolic steroids to be “pro-steroid.” But fortunately, the Ad Council does not feel that way. They consulted with Chris Bell in the development of their new steroid awareness campaign (”New documentary takes frank look at steroids use in sports,” June 27).

The Ad Council [which produces public service advertising] is doing a steroid awareness campaign. I flew to Denver to meet with them and talk about it because they don’t see my film as a pro-steroid movie. I don’t see it as a pro-steroid movie either. I see it as a movie that explores the issue from all sides.

But Bell goes on to further say that even  though the decision to use anabolic steroids shouldn’t be primarily a health issue, it should instead be a moral issue!

We’ve made it a moral issue, whether or not it’s cool to enhance your performance. We put some of the effects aside — and that’s not to say there are no health effects, or side effects; these are powerful hormones and they should be regulated by doctors, however, the moral issue comes out in the fact they’ve been made illegal and demonized by a lot of the media. That stigma is going to always be around. I didn’t want to be lumped in with that.