October 31, 2008
The proprietors of EDS-Research.com, a research chemical company, were arrested for selling research chemicals in what authorities have sensationalized as a “shocking international drug operation in a small home in the Village of Reedsville.” It has also been identified as a “prescription drug repackaging operation” that imported drugs from China with a daily revenue of $1000-2000. Manitowoc County Sheriff Rob Hermann was impressed by the research chemical operation moreso than any other drug operation that he’s seen in his career (”Police Raid Alleged Prescription Pill Lab,” October 30).
“A lot of equipment they had was large-scale manufacturing equipment, things that we would typically not see during the normal course of our business,” Detective Sergeant Pete McGinty of the Two Rivers Police Department said.
“In 25 years I’ve never seen such an operation. We’ve conducted search warrants in marijuana grow houses, crystal meth labs, meth cathedone manufacturing. I’ve never seen anything like this in 25 years,” Sheriff Hermann said.
The sheriff thought that ShonTay Dessart and his partner were selling “steroid-type” drugs from their house reflecting the widespread misconception that all ancillary drugs and performance enhancing drugs that are used by bodybuilders and athletes are anabolic steroids. Read more
October 30, 2008
The passage of a new anti-doping law will criminalize the manufacture, importation, exportation, storage and distribution of anabolic steroids in the Czech Republic. Offenders who violate the anti-doping laws face one to three years imprisonment. The actual consumption of anabolic steroids will not become illegal, but the possession of steroids for non-medical use could lead to criminal investigation.
The purchase of anabolic steroids have long required a medical prescription within the Czech Republic. However, prior to the current steroid legislation, Czech drug laws did not regulate the import, export or distribution in the Czech Republic. These loopholes permitted an underground steroid marketplace worth hundreds of millions of Czech crowns to thrive virtually unimpeded. Czech Customs could only intervene and seize anabolic steroids imported from other countries if the sender failed to declare the merchandise as “anabolic steroids.” As a result Czech bodybuilders and athletes could previously import and use steroids without any legal consequences.
Czech Police are preparing to crack down hard on steroid use as soon as the legislation criminalizing the non-medical use of steroids takes effect Read more
October 28, 2008
Rick Collins, leading steroid legal expert from Collins, McDonald & Gann, has released an analysis of the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 that doubles maximum steroid trafficking sentences. President Bush signed the legislation on October 15, 2008 to “put an end to the illegal sale of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet” to “ensure a safer future for our children.”
The legislation amends the Controlled Substances Act to address issues related to internet pharmacies, internet pharmacy prescriptions and the dispensing of controlled substances via the Internet. Even though, the legislation’s namesake was a teenager who overdosed on Vicodin (and not anabolic steroids), the Act represents a continuation in the “war on steroid trafficking.”
Rick Collins specifically looks at the far-reaching consequences for anabolic steroid trafficking cases (”Maximum Steroid Trafficking Sentences to Double,” October 28). Read more
October 27, 2008
Maricopa County Medical Examiner Vladimir Shvarts, M.D. has added anabolic steroid intoxication as a contributing factor in an accidental fatal drug overdose. The cause of death for Aaron Michael Achley was originally attributed to an accidental overdose of the prescription drugs Xanax (alprazolam) and Oxycontin (oxycodone) in addition to the recreational drug Cocaine.
The family of Aaron Achley, ABC15 Investigative Reporter Josh Berstein and Arizona state investigators pressured the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner to change the official cause of death to include steroids. The medical examiner repeatedly refused to conduct additional testing for steroids. However, the medical examiner apparently relented once Doreen Achley, the victim’s mother, paid to have tissue samples tested by an independent lab (”Autopsy amended to include anabolic steroids,” October 24).
The amended “pathological diagnoses” on Aaron Achley’s autopsy identified the drugs responsible for the accidental fatal “Combined drug intoxication.” This time anabolic steroids (allegedly testosterone obtained from Revolution Medical Center) were a contributing factor to the death.
October 24, 2008
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Drug Section arrested at least eight individuals suspected of involvement in anabolic steroid trafficking during steroids bust as a result of Operation Jellybean in January 2007. The steroid bust disrupted hundreds of thousands of dollars in anabolic steroids sales throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and even Ontario.
Defendant Mark Anthony Haig pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to traffic anabolic steroids and prescription drugs. At least two of his co-conspirators are standing trial for steroid-related crimes in the next few months Read more
October 23, 2008
Don Hooton, of the Taylor Hooton Foundation and Dr. Michael Scally, M.D., of HPT/Axis Inc., are both urging the medical community to recognize the condition of Anabolic Steroid Induced Hypogonadism (ASIH) and move towards the acceptance of a medical treatment for hypogonadism after androgen cessation. The recent A&E documentary about Jose Canseco’s decision to stop using anabolic steroids has highlighted the problem of androgen induced hypogonadism that can occur after the discontinuation of anabolic steroids.
Dr. Michael Scally has been a long-time critic of the medical establishment’s failure to address the adverse side effects of hypogonadism in steroid users. He is troubled by the lack of medical initiatives seeking to eliminate, shorten, or minimize the period of anabolic-steroid induced hypogonadism. Dr. Scally released a statement expressing his concern about Jose Canseco’s unsuccessful attempts to find effective treatment for ASIH in response to the A&E special on Canseco. Read more
October 22, 2008
A former bodybuilder has blamed anabolic steroids for the stalking and harrassment of his ex-girlfriend. His ex-girlfriend file a harrassment “protection order” against Conor McMahon. McMahon subsequently sent her numerous “abusive phone calls and text messages” and even broke into her apartment (”Bodybuilder says steroids made him abuse ex-lover,” October 22).
Defence lawyer said that when McMahon’s relationship began to deteriorate he started going to the gym more often and developed an interest in bodybuilding. He took steroids for a while, and this had an adverse affect on him.
[...]
McMahon, who has no previous convictions, acknowledged that he behaved badly, but said the break-up of his relationship was “fairly messy” and being on steroids did not help his situation.
McMahon’s defense attorney told the judge that his client has given up bodybuilding and stopped taking anabolic steroids; thus, he is “back on track.”
October 22, 2008
Phoenix Police Commander Kim Humphrey will advise police leaders around the country on ways to reduce “roid rage” in law enforcement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in San Diego on November 9, 2008. It seems that the use of anabolic steroids by police officers could threaten the lives of the public at large presumably due to violent aggression of roid rage (”Police Dept. leads way on steroid testing,” October 9).
“Steroids can be a life-safety issue, not only for the user, but for the public,” said Humphrey, who is speaking at a national conference in November alongside Dr. Gary Green, a UCLA sports medicine expert and adviser to Major League Baseball on anabolic steroids.
The Phoenix Police Department, the Phoenix Fire Department and the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association joined forces to create the Phoenix Steroids Task Force after the widespread steroid use was exposed by local media, a DEA probe and an internal investigation. It appears that police officers were trying to gain an unfair advantage over criminals (”Phoenix a pioneer in steroid-testing policy,” October 19).
Like athletes who ignore testosterone-induced side effects to gain a competitive edge on the field, a handful of Valley law-enforcement officers were investigated because authorities believed they were using anabolic steroids to gain an edge on the streets.
Of course such “cheating” was unacceptable and the lack of a “level playing field” between police and criminals would not be tolerated. Read more
October 21, 2008
Swedish Police have captured and interrogated 40 suspects during a series of pre-dawn raids in a massive steroid bust. Large quantities of anabolic steroids, performance enhancing drugs, and weapons were seized by Sweden’s Rikskriminalpolisen (RKP) in conjunction with police departments in Stockholm, Gävleborg, Jönköping, Blekinge and Halland. The RKP is Sweden’s National Criminal Investigation Department which is responsible for investigating major doping crimes.
The steroids were sold largely in bodybuilding and fitness circles around Stockholm; they were also distributed in various cities throughout Sweden as well as via the Internet. The Sweden Doping Act of 1991 criminalized the importation, distribution, possession and use of anabolic steroids.
The interrogated individuals were implicated as customers of a major steroid dealer who was arrested with his girlfriend in Gävleborg (Sweden) in August 2008. A search of the Gävleborg man’s computer uncovered a customer list that was thought to be the basis of today’s steroid raids Read more
October 20, 2008
The owners of the SVN Canada in North Vancouver, British Columbia were arrested for allegedly selling the anabolic steroid methyl-1-testosterone (M1T) to teenagers. The arrest comes less than a week after an employee of ‘Your Vitamin Store’ (YVS Victoria) in nearby Victoria, British Columbia was also arrested for selling M1T. Charges in both cases involved trafficking and possession of a controlled substance (anabolic steroids) (”North Van RCMP arrest nutrition shop owners for alleged steroid sales to teens,” October 20).
Const. Marlene Morton said “a substantial amount” of a bodybuilding drug called Methyl-1-Testosterone was seized from Lower Lonsdale area shop SVN Canada, following a year-long investigation.
The store’s owners, Joao Melo, 28, and Sylvie Tran, 26, of North Vancouver, have been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and further charges are pending, Morton said.
Health Canada issued a warning in April 2006 advising all consumers that M1T was an illegal anabolic steroid. The recent steroid arrests may be the beginning of a crackdown on illicit performance enhancing drugs in advance of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
M1T was legally sold and marketed as a “prohormone” in the United States as an over-the-counter “dietary supplement” until the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 made it illegal on January 20, 2005.
October 20, 2008
Jose Canseco admits to health problems resulting from the discontinuation of anabolic steroids in the A&E documentary “Jose Canseco: The Last Shot” premiering Monday night, October 20th.
Jose Canseco, the former baseball superstar who blew the whistle on the game’s steroid scandal, has used steroids himself for the past 24 years. Now Jose wants to finally get clean, but he’s terrified about what may happen when he goes through the process. There has been no medically documented case of someone quitting steroids after using them for so long, and the doctors have different opinions about what Jose will go through physically and mentally. Viewers watch Jose play guinea pig as he tries to end his long addiction.
Canseco has made the decision to permanently stop using steroids for whatever reason. During the documentary, Canseco describes classical post-cessation symptoms of anaboic steroid induced hypogonadism (ASIH) such as low libido and depression (”It’s broke, scared & contrite Jose Canseco in TV documentary,” October 18).
The show also follows Canseco through a series of medical appointments with Santa Monica physician Dr. Brent Michael. Canseco tells Michael he wants to wean himself off steroids for good and restore his testosterone levels, since quitting cold turkey isn’t working.
“I have no sex drive whatsoever. Zero,” says Canseco, who is filmed in one sequence meeting Michael with current girlfriend Heidi Northcott present. Canseco admits to bouts of depression and wanting to be left alone.
Our society has demonized anabolic steroids. The highly politicized steroid hysteria has led the medical community to abandon treatment for the non-prescription steroid user. Our society tells steroid users that it is imperative that they stop using steroids immediately to avoid catastrophic damage to their health. But once they stop using steroids, professionals in the medical community are clueless to the consequences of steroid cessation and are ignorant to the treatment options and necessary post cycle therapy (PCT). Then steroid users like Jose Canseco are ridiculed for the post cycle side effects after discontinuing steroids.
October 18, 2008
The internet domain registrar GoDaddy has started shutting down anabolic steroid-related websites under increasing pressure from a pharmacy special interest group called LegitScript.com. LegitScript.com is an internet pharmacy verification service that approves pharmacies that conform to United States federal and state laws.
The service apparently promotes the internationalization of steroid laws and prescription laws such that international internet pharmacies not subject to U.S. laws are considered illegitimate if they fail to comply. Furthermore, LegitScripts.com has requested that GoDaddy shut down websites that only provide information related to the non-medical use of anabolic steroids; in other words, LegitScripts wants GoDaddy to pull the plug on steroid-related websites that do NOT even sell anabolic steroids but just discuss the use of steroids for bodybuilding purposes.
GoDaddy recently shutdown the following steroid pharmacy websites ominously listing the nameservers as NS1.SUSPENDED-FOR.SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM and NS2.SUSPENDED-FOR.SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM: Read more
October 18, 2008
Charlotte County Sherriff’s Office arrested personal trainer Christopher Edward Abate on steroid possession and distribution charges involving over 3000 anabolic steroid tablets including Oxandrolone, Fluoxymesterone and Oxymetholone. Officers also discovered a steroid reference book, steroid paraphernalia used to manufacture steroids, 42 blank doctor prescription forms from four different physicians in Florida and Connecticut and $493,100 cash. Abate’s residence in Punta Gorda, Florida contained a variety of anabolic steroids including veterinary steroids, prescription steroids as well as steroids apparently manufactured from Chinese raw steroid powder in his underground lab Read more
October 17, 2008
Sydney District Court Judge Michael Finnane rejected defense arguments that a “rampage of rape” perpetrated by James Nigel Stephens was caused by a “very, very nasty cocktail” of anabolic steroids and alcohol. Judge Finnane showed no leniency in sentencing Stephens to 20 years in prison (”Teen jailed for ‘rampage of rape’,” October 17).
“I must emphasise that I have no acceptable evidence that he drank to excess or that he consumed anabolic steroids,” the judge.
A causal role between anabolic steroids and aggression and “roid rage” has long been discussed in popular culture although not clearly supported by the scientific literature. The defendant’s attorney tried to convince the judge that factors related to anabolic steroid use were at the root of Stephens’ uncharacteristic behavior Read more
October 17, 2008
Albany Times-Union reporter Brendan Lyons’ coverage of the Signature Pharmacy anabolic steroid scandal is being exposed as little more than a public relations campaign created in conjunction with the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. It appears that “Soares’ loyalist” Brendan Lyons obtained most of his inside stories from the District Attorney David Soares’ Director of Operations, Christian D’Alessandro. D’Allessandro happens to be a close personal friend of Brendan Lyons (”Legal Opinions Support Finding Soares Misused Funds,” October 15).
The Times-Union and Lyons, who is said to have a long time association with Christian D’Allessandro, Soares top deputy…
Albany Times-Union Editor Rex Smith has vigorously defended Brendan Lyons’ use of confidential sources, like his best friend Chris D’Allessandro, in the Signature Pharmacy journalistic investigation into the distribution of performance enhancing drugs. Smith stressed the need for “federal shield laws” to give reporters like Brendan Lyons “constitutional protection against divulging his sources.”
But is the public good best served when a veil of secrecy hides the incestuous relationship between the fourth estate and prosecutor’s office? Should such cozy relationships between local newspapers and the District Attorney’s Office be disclosed especially when it results in stories that uncritically promote the agenda of the District Attorney?
Brendan Lyons has long been accused of being the defacto public relations agent of the Albany County District Attorney Office and the publicity-seeking David Soares. This would explain why the Albany Times-Union was oblivious to the incompetence of David Soares in his case against Signature Pharmacy and unaware of potential civil rights violations by David Soares office. Perhaps, the friendships between the Albany Times-Union and the District Attorney’s Office obscured the objectivity of the steroid reporting?
The revelation about the relationship between Brendan Lyons and Chris D’Allessandro definitely reframes questions about Lyons’ investigative journalism into the growth hormone and anabolic steroid scandal Read more
