posted June 18, 2000 04:19 PM         

Originally I said I did not think AS were recreational. But I changed my mind and will have to say they ARE re-creational. meaning to "create" "again" - re-create. That is the literal defination of the root words that are combined to make the more common term recreational. Recreation can be hard work as anyone who has spent a vacation climbing mt. Kilomanjaro, or rock climbing El Capitan or other such adventure.

Whereas marijuana, alchohol and other common recreational drugs tear down, AS on the other hand build. They build better bone mass - a reason they can be (but rarely are) to help elderly overcome osteoporosis. They can recreate a strong body as many of the aging population who use it for anti-aging, or many AIDS patients who use it to overcome muscle wasting will attest. The first injectible testosterone was used in WWII to help prisoners of war regain their body weight and strength. They can recreate sex drive. They can recreate energy and vitality. They can re-create a positive attitude.

No doubt AS are often misused (by people taking clambutteroil) and sometimes abused, but can we say that AS are MORE abused than cigarettes or alcohol - entirely legal substances. How many deaths a year from AS compared to cigarettes - in fact the Centers of Disease control have said cigarettes are the # 1 preventable cause of death in the USA (heart disease, cancer etc). Even when compared to "properly" prescribed prescription drugs I doubt we could argue there is more AS abuse. Antibiotics have ABSOLUTELY NO effect on a virus - only bacteria. We also know 9/10 of all sore throats are not bacterial but are caused by virus. yet virtually 100% of all people going into a doctors office with a sore throat will be given antibiotics.