The British government has accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (“ACMD”) concerning the existing steroid laws in the country. The personal possession of anabolic steroids for self-administration has been legal under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act. It will remain legal given the low level of harm associated with the use of steroids. However, the government will amend the steroid laws so that it will become illegal to import personal use quantities by mail. This effectively criminalizes the purchase of steroids over the internet from the thousands of internet pharmacies selling steroids.
After the amendments are enacted, the United Kingdom Border Authority will be authorized to seize all anabolic steroids arriving into the country by mail. Bodybuilders will be allowed to import steroids into the country only if the “personal custody” requirement is met. In other words, they must personally accompany the steroids while they are brought into the country.
The British government has also decided to amend the steroid laws such that the “medicinal product” requirement involving personal possession of steroids is eliminated. Previously, bodybuilders who maintained a personal use supply of steroids were required to prove that the steroids were ingredients in a medicinal product. Some courts interpreted this requirement to mean that steroids manufactured by “underground labs” (UGLs) were NOT legal to possess for personal use. Only steroids produced by recognized pharmaceutical companies were permitted.
The amendments to existing steroid laws, rather than reduce steroid use, will likely shift steroid use from pharmaceutical steroids previously purchased over the internet to UGL steroid use obtained from UGLs operating within the country. The number of UGLs in the United Kingdom will likely increase dramatically as a result.
