Why Steroids are Misplaced as a Schedule III Drug in the US

[SofaGeorge]

The only class of drugs that has a lack of medical use in this country are Schedule I drugs. All the other scheduled drugs have medical uses.

DeepZenPill is right. The potential for addiction/dependancy/abuse potential (whatever you want to call it) is the reason why some perscription drugs are scheduled in a certain class. They go hand in hand in many ways. Many of these addictions start out harmless.

For example, someone breaks their ankle or hurts their foot or something. He goes to the doctor and is perscribed some Vicodin for the pain for a few weeks. After their foot gets better, they no longer recieve the script. But the patient liked the drug so much he starts looking elsewhere for it to get that "high" or euphoric feeling again. Eventually, he may find a friend who has some extra pain killers laying around and he gets those. Then his buddy knows a drug dealer who gets them from time to time and starts getting them that way, etc. It's a rollercoaster ride, and if it gets bad enough, he will start taking 10+ pills a day at which point is dangerous and the person may require detox to come off of them. It all started at the doctor's office. With this in mind, which has more potential for abuse? Steroids or narcotic painkillers? I would think it's a no-brainer for most of us. And they are in the same class!

According to the government, this is less likely to happen with Xanax and Valium (Class IV drugs) and going to detox, more likely to happen with Lorcet and Vicodin (Class III drugs) and going to detox, and very likely to happen with Oxycontin and Methodone (Class II drugs) and going to detox. Class I drugs like Cocaine and Heroin have no medical uses in this country.

The point is, I don't see where steroids fall into any of this. And even if you wanted to say steroids are "abused" by a select few, what about other more dangerous things that are abused by a great many people such as cigarettes and alcohol?

You are clearly basing your writings on your suppositions... not an actual understanding of the Schedule process.

 

[badazzwhitedude]

You are clearly basing your writings on your suppositions... not an actual understanding of the Schedule process.

Let's look at the term you used earlier. That term was "abused." What does that involve exctly? Let's see. We have those who take opiates purely for the euphoric feeling they give. That is abuse. We have those who are in legit pain and still can't get a script for them because of the doctor's opinion. Even though they may have a legit reason to use the drugs, becaus they don't have a script, that is abuse in a court of law.

Abuse means using a drug that has a high addiction potential without being under the supervision of a doctor, whether they may have a medical condition that would warrant it or not. Not being under the supervision of a doctor while using these drugs may potentially ruin someones life. Only those who have a script may use them legally (not abusing in a court of law).

If I am wrong with anything that I have said here, then pleae enlighten me. I am open minded.

I'll be the first to admit that from time to time I have used Lorcet, Norco and Vicodin (all hydrocodone drugs) as recreational drugs. If I got busted for them, I would fully accept the consequences because I have a full understanding as to why they are scheduled substances.

Steroids though, I have a serious problem with those being scheduled. Even if steroids were not controlled, how many people do you think would be in rehab as opposed to those who use alcohol? If steroids were legal, and even if the same number of people used steroids as a result as compared to alcohol, which do you think would ruin more lives and put people in rehab? No-brainer.

Not a flame bro'. Just making an interesting discussion.

 

[SofaGeorge]

Not a flame bro'. Just making an interesting discussion.

You aren't making interesting discussion. You are just demonstrating that you don't actually understand the concepts involved.

 

[Latamier]

Just FYI, cocaine does have a medicinal value and is used very often in modern medacine. Cocaine is used in it's purest form for certain types of nasal and sinus surgery. It acts as a vaso constrictor to help prevent bleeding. You can not obtain it with a perscription however. It's purpose is soley for use in surgery.

 

[badazzwhitedude]

You aren't making interesting discussion. You are just demonstrating that you don't actually understand the concepts involved.

An you have yet to provide a compelling argument. I am open minded and if I am incorrect in any statements I have said then I apologize. Of course, some states have different laws than others and may also play a role in this as well. But if the federal law states something is illegal, it doesn't mater what the people of the state say. Federal law take priority over state law. In some cases, however, federal laws and state laws work in harmony with each other, and if the state laws are more severe than the federal laws in a certain case, you will probably be charged under the more severe state laws, if not both.

 

[badazzwhitedude]

Just FYI, cocaine does have a medicinal value and is used very often in modern medacine. Cocaine is used in it's purest form for certain types of nasal and sinus surgery. It acts as a vaso constrictor to help prevent bleeding. You can not obtain it with a perscription however. It's purpose is soley for use in surgery.

And Heroin also as some medicinal value, in a way. Many pain killers originate from the poppy plant (as does Heroin). CrystalMeth also is a stronger form of the time-released amphetimine drug Adderall. But you cannot posess Heroin or CrystalMeth under any circumstances. Perhaps a few Class I drugs may have some medicinal purposes in a few rare cases. But it is rare if done so. Generally, if a Heroin addict goes to detox, he is given Methodone to help taper off the powerful opiates.

 

[mrpg13]

Methadone

Badazz, I couldnt agree with your posts more, but whe people go to detox they are not given methadone. Thats why its called detox. Methadone treatment is a long process to get people off opiates. I can tell you from experience that Methadone clinics are a joke, but the goverment approvesd them because they make money from them, just like tobacco. To any bros that have an opiate problem. Dont start methadone to try and get off. methadone has worse withdrawls than any other opiate. Go to a detox center, you will go through some serious pain, but its better than methadone.
Sorry to get off subject, but i just dont want to see anyone go through what I went through.
This thread makes some good points about our goverment's political agenda. I too love this country, but I do wish we could change a few things

 

[badazzwhitedude]

Re: Methadone

Badazz, I couldnt agree with your posts more, but whe people go to detox they are not given methadone. Thats why its called detox. Methadone treatment is a long process to get people off opiates. I can tell you from experience that Methadone clinics are a joke, but the goverment approvesd them because they make money from them, just like tobacco. To any bros that have an opiate problem. Dont start methadone to try and get off. methadone has worse withdrawls than any other opiate. Go to a detox center, you will go through some serious pain, but its better than methadone.
Sorry to get off subject, but i just dont want to see anyone go through what I went through.
This thread makes some good points about our goverment's political agenda. I too love this country, but I do wish we could change a few things

I realize that Methodone is primarily used for detox from certain drugs (especially Heroin) for in patient use. As you said, it's strange as Methodone is prescribed for Heroin patients as you are bascially trading one addiction for another. But the fact is that Methodone is actually perscribed for some who have chronic pain. Some say it seems to relieve severe pain more so than Oxycontin.

 

[halfaclue]

Well I think "propensity for abuse" goes hand in hand with "addictiveness." If users are easily hooked on a drug, they're going to be much more likely to continue abusing it. Of course there are drugs that have a high potential abuse that aren't addictive, but it's a pretty logical relationship.

But I believe you're right as far as the official structuring of the scheduled drugs list. Mostly propensity for abuse and legitimate medical uses.

Propensity for abuse means...if it was readily available would the amount it is used increase...the answer is yes. What some body builders don't understand is that regualr athletes who might do mini cycles here and there would be all roided up if steroids became legal. This would lead to more athletic injuries and more deaths. yes there would still be rules in sports proventing it but there would still be types that are out of your system quickly as well. Do steriods deserve to be regulated, yes...to the extreme that they are...HELL NO. If I can get a $50 fine for 3 grams of pot then I would expect less then a $50 fine for 3grams of gear.

 

[Cakalac]

I agree with this post 100% great post. Also when have you ever heard of a coke head or heroin addict say I can only have so many grams a week and I can only smoke so much today. I have never. It is always where can I get some more. At least with AS we do limit the amt. we take in on a weekly basis, or some of us do. I think most guys have complete control over how much they take. Better than the recreational side of the game.