by Jimmy Patrick

Created on: March 05, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The question is whether or not they should EVER be allowed. If you asked me if they should be allowed right now, I would say no. But if the day ever arrives that steroids become advanced enough or our understanding of them becomes advanced enough to make them harmless and safe, then yes they should be allowed in professional sports.

The reason steroids are illegal has nothing to do with them providing unfair advantage to competitors. If that were the case, Gatorade, Power Bars and protein shakes would be banned as well.

Professional sports are not about making everyone the same, asking them to find a way to win drinking nothing but water and eating peanuts and chicken. Steroids are illegal because of their adverse side effects. They are known to cause severe injury, extreme hormonal imbalances and, if used improperly, horrific cysts and tumors.

There are teenage kids out there sneaking steroids into their system because of athletes like Barry Bonds or Marion Jones. They are most likely taking them incorrectly and in the wrong dosages and literally ruining their bodies for life.

Players like Bonds and Jason Giambi from Major League Baseball have gone through all kinds of injuries the last couple of years. Bonds' knees are completely shot and Giambi has suffered everything from unknown stomach viruses to ailing shoulder and elbow ligaments. It is not a coincidence that they are two known steroid users and they have suffered these serious injuries; and they took the drugs under strict supervision by "pros."

Ever since the beginning of competition, the competitors have looked for an edge to help them win. If you are playing video games against your buddies and you discover a new button or technique for hitting that button that helps you win, do you tell them about it? I don't think so. You use the advantage and keep beating them as long as you can.

A professional athlete is no different. Their entire livelihood, their entire life is measured by winning. If you go play a round of golf on the weekend and shoot a bad score, you might feel bad for an hour or a day, but you won't lose your paycheck. Professional athletes don't make any money unless they win, so it should be no surprise that many, if not all of them, are taking some kind of steroids.

Is it worth it in their minds to possibly not be able to walk after the age of 50, in order to make a few hundred million dollars? For some, maybe not, but for many it is worth it. Prohibition didn't stop people from drinking alcohol and making steroids illegal will not stop people from taking them, but I still think they should be illegal for now. It is a near guarantee, however, that someday taking steroids will be no less safe than taking multi-vitamins and when that day arrives they should be allowed to professional athletes or anyone else who wants to take them.

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