Mathias Bolton was wrongly attacked and beat in his residence by at least two police officers. He blames anabolic steroids for causing one of the officers to attack him in a lawsuit filed last week; no explanation was provided explaining why the other officer(s) attacked him (”Cop “shot up” before attacking: Claims ‘roids fueled beating on wrong man,” September 3).
The lawsuit claimes Vargas was a target of a Jersey City Police Department investigation into steroid use by cops and “was using a steroid, testosterone or other prescription substance when he assaulted Mr. Bolton which was a proximate cause of his attacking and beating Mr. Bolton.”
New York Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Chief Michael Marino refused to accept departmental punishment that would dock him 30 days pay and place him on one year probation (”Steroid Cop will fight the rap,” August 15).
Marino was on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for which he obtained a topical testosterone cream from a Lowen’s Pharmacy. Unfortunately, Lowen’s Pharmacy was implicated in a high-profile steroid scandal involving the illegal distribution of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. The steroid hysteria involving cops on steroids unfairly maligned the media, the public, and NYPD against steroid use for any reason – even legitimate medical reasons.
Bodybuilding and the use of anabolic steroids to build strength and muscle has exploded in the aftermath of the U.S. led invasion of Iraq. The expensive war in Iraq has been criticized for failing to meet many of its objectives. But the war has given Iraqis the freedom to pursue their obsession with sport of bodybuilding (accompanied by the use of anabolic steroids) which was repressed under the rule of Saddam Hussein (”Nothing but Speedos in Sadr City,” June 9).
Several gyms have opened around Baghdad. Many of them openly sell human grade and veterinarian grade anabolic steroids over the counter next to sport nutrition supplements. Anabolic steroids are legally sold for bodybuilding purposes in Iraq.
The U.S. invasion has apparently fueled the widespread use of anabolic steroids in bodybuilding. Iraqis are striving to gain muscle and become stronger in order to obtain employment in one of the few decent paying industries available to them – jobs with security companies. Read more
