Drugs in America

So I just watched Bigger, Stronger, Faster, a documentary about performance enhancing drugs in America. It got me thinking (thinking enough to write in this blog after a long break).

America has encountered 'performance' (I use that term loosely) enhancers in various areas of life. Let's tackle the question of just why this is by answering it topic by topic

- In sports: anabolic steroids were used by Barry Bonds to achieve so called Baseball Immortality; erythropoietin (EPO) was used by cyclists in the Tour de France for years to endure the three brutal weeks of hell - Floyd Landis was buried in debt - drugs got him out);

- In school: Adderall - the so called "study drug" used by students to focus and get there work done.

- In cosmetics: Botox and the rest of the drug line up to make people look twenty years younger than they really are; this applies to both men and women.


Drugs in SPORTS: Let's begin by discussing performance enhancers in sports. Anabolic steroids - is the supposed dangerous side-effect the only thing that separates steroids from other body-building supplements? Let's say steroids didn't have such a bad side-effect, should it still be illegal? Because guess what, there are legal drugs out there that have way worse side-effects than anabolic steroids (just listen carefully to those drug commercials: "side effects may include but are not limited to: drowsiness, headache, soreness, liver cancer, heart disease and death" - ok, you get the point. Just like any drug, it must be used appropriately.

Steroids' stance in society is a rather interesting one: its illegality in league sports (which is 100% legitimate) is being superimposed outside of sports - why can't the average joe who wants to reach that 250 lb. bench press mark get some help? After all, look at all those weight loss products on the market. I think the reason why we tend to superimpose the illegality of certain drugs in sports onto 'regular' life is because of America's strong ties to sports. Us Americans, whether it's Monday night football or the July Fourth hot dog eating contest, take our sport competitions seriously. Taking drugs illegally in sports is cheating - once drugs like anabolic steroids are associated with cheating in sports, it will be associated with cheating outside of sports.

Furthermore, we live in a culture where sports figures are idolized -what message does it send when athletes are doping?

Just imagine the U.S. was obsessed with Beauty Pageants like it is obsessed with sports; kids all over America looked up to them like they look up to Babe Ruth. And in this imaginary U.S., beauty pageants ban certain cosmetic drugs. Would we be surprised to find those banned cosmetic drugs illegal America? I don't think so - it's very similar to the anabolic steroid case.

On another note:
Youtube video accusing cyclist Cancellara of 'Mechanical Doping'
Basically, because of this video and this new fear that has come with cycling, officials will be testing for this 'mechanical doping' in the Tour de France.
Just like steroids, officials at the Tour clearly have a right to say that rigging a bike is illegal. But can the government say you can't rig your own bike at home when you ride in the local park? What's the difference between this mechanical and biological doping? Is it just the side-effect issue? Can't be since I've already shown that the steroid side-effects aren't worse than other easily attainable legal drugs...Food for thought...


Ok, now for the next topic.. Drugs in SCHOOL: This is a very intense issue, because it brings up a fundamental question in ethics which may impede future scientific progress. You will see what I mean in a moment.
First off, we all know that students in schools are using drugs to get them better grades - and you know what? It's working. I was watching 60 Minutes and they showed this poll of students who took these drugs - I cannot recall the exact numbers but basically, a majority of students believed that taking certain drugs like Adderall had increased their GPA by a full letter grade, others thought it increased it by two letter grades (I guess they were at least C students to begin with...). And these drugs are readily prescribed by doctors for ADHD and the like - it is easy to get a hold of them and students don't seem to have any major side-effects.
Now let's say if these drugs were improved and scientists developed a pill that made people do significantly better on a wide range of academic tests. Is that a good thing? After all, the more Einstein's the better...right? Well, that is a blog post for another day.


Drugs in COSMETICS: This is fairly simple, and it reveals a reason why performance enhancing drugs exist in schools and sports. People use drugs that improve there looks because they don't think they look good enough - insecurity issues I'd presume (that's pretty obvious). People take drugs in sports and school because they aren't happy with there performance.

It seems that we are just never satisfied with the way we are. Now, I don't me to suggest that you shouldn't try to be the best you can be - as an endurance triathlete who spends several hours a week training I would be the first to say that it's a phenomenal goal to try to be your best. But the point is to be your best, not you+your artificial substances' best.


I think many would agree that this insecurity issue stems from pop-culture.
In sports we look at Bonds thinking he is perfect (when he is juiced) and try to be like him though you cannot.
In school we look at the 100 point grade system and think that 100 as a perfect score is universal, when in reality your best score may be a 87 - and that is perfect for you (which is debatable, I am of the opinion that everyone can attain 100, in general tests aren't so 'biased' that only 'smart' people can get 100's). Or you look at your friend who always pulls an A+, but guess what you are not your friend.
In cosmetics we look at model photos (who are caked in makeup, and digitally enhanced) and assume that is the perfect look.
-All these things that we think are perfect are really NOT perfect, they are fake.
Each person has there own level of perfection - we must stop looking around and instead look within to reach the highest level of personal satisfaction and excellency.