The internet has become an increasingly accessible marketplace for various substances, including performance-enhancing drugs. Alarmingly, a significant number of teenagers, approximately 1.5 million, have admitted to steroid use, highlighting a growing concern about how easily these substances can be obtained. A key avenue for acquisition is online platforms like YouTube, where videos openly promote websites selling steroids, often bypassing legal prescription requirements.
These online steroid vendors, frequently operating from overseas, claim to ship without prescriptions, a practice that is illegal in the United States. This international nature of the trade makes it difficult to regulate and control, as Tom Galvin from the Digital Citizens Alliance points out, “This is international drug-dealing… It’s coming from places we have no control over, and it’s going directly to our kids.”
The Digital Citizens Alliance, a group monitoring online activities, observed a surge in these online steroid marketplaces and decided to investigate. Their findings revealed a disturbing lack of regulation and quality control. Packages originated from countries like Thailand and Slovakia, yet the products inside claimed to be manufactured elsewhere, such as Pakistan and China. In some cases, orders simply never arrived.
Product testing conducted by the organization exposed further issues. While one vial was confirmed to contain steroids, its potency remained uncertain. Another vial, advertised as containing human growth hormone, was found to be something else entirely – merely a protein, with no indication of its true composition or potential hazards. Disturbingly, Galvin warned of even graver risks, stating, “There have been instances where they [vials] have been found to have lead or arsenic.” This lack of oversight raises serious health concerns for individuals purchasing steroids online. The raw materials often originate from countries like China, and the production environments are not always sterile, further compounding the risks.
YouTube, a platform that generates revenue from advertisements accompanying videos, stated to ABC News that measures are in place to prevent ads on objectionable content and that they remove “millions of videos each year that violate our policies.” Following inquiries from ABC News, YouTube announced it would block ads associated with “buy steroid” searches. However, critics like Don Hooton, who tragically lost his son Taylor to suicide after steroid use led to depression, argue that YouTube and its parent company, Google, should take a more proactive stance. Hooton asserts, “If the kids can find these sites, then [parent company] Google and YouTube can find these sites and shut them down.”
YouTube’s official statement emphasizes their commitment to user safety and adherence to guidelines prohibiting content promoting illegal activities, including drug sales. They claim to have proactive systems to prevent ads from appearing on inappropriate content, including pharmaceuticals and prescription drug-related terms. Despite these statements, the ease with which individuals can still find and access websites selling steroids online remains a significant concern, underscoring the ongoing challenge of regulating online drug marketplaces and protecting vulnerable individuals, especially teenagers, from the potential dangers of purchasing steroids online.
