Steroids are a class of synthetic hormones that closely mimic the body’s natural hormones to control body systems, maintain fluid balance and activate immune system functions. They also have a number of side effects.
Thailand, with its rapidly developing pharmaceutical industry and complex regulatory challenges, plays a significant role in the global steroid trade. This article examines how this occurs, and explores the implications of this phenomenon for international public health.
In Australia, steroids are classified as dangerous drugs and it is illegal to buy, possess or supply them. But amateur athletes and professional sportsmen from as far afield as the UK and New Zealand continue to flock to Thailand to buy, stockpile and use them for the purposes of increasing muscle mass. In many cases these drugs are combined _ or stacked – with weight loss medications, a practice known as’stacking’.
This is a growing problem, with the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) reporting that it is one of the main sources of steroids seized at the country’s border. Those caught trying to bring steroids back into Australia face heavy fines and a possible jail term, such as the case of 17-year-old rugby player Matthew Dear, who died within weeks of starting his steroid cycle in Phuket.
Despite the legalities, pharmacies in the Thai resort town of Pattay advertise steroids openly and often do not require a prescription from customers. Many of these stores offer a visual catalogue that can be bought off-the-shelf and pharmacists are happy to talk clients through the process of bulking up. Steroids Thailand
ashdev