Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports be legalized?

Topic:
Health Debates

25 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
16% of users

  • Yes, because performance-enhancing substances work, and the cost is only to the athlete.

    The lure and appeal of performance-enhancing substances is that they work, in large measure. They have definite adverse side-effects for the athlete, such as gynecomastia and hirsuitism, but these do not impact anyone other than the athlete. To argue that they create an imbalanced playing field is to ignore the fact that the playing field is already imbalanced by the present illegal use of these substances. Legalizing them would serve to better level the field, by giving those who might be reticent for legality reasons the ability to engage in these behaviors, in order to compete with their less scrupulous counterparts.

    Yes LivingRoosevelt78

  • People have different oportunities, and also there need to exist a freedoom of choice.

    So, let me define what i mean when i say performance-enhancing drugs. These drugs are stimulants thaht boost organizam activity by increasing heart and brain functions. Some substances, like caffeine foe example, is allowed to normal people bur are not to athlets. I just want to say that athlets are human being just ike the other (normal ) people., so, they need to have a freedoom of choice. We need to allow athlets things that are available to normal people. Just like that we need to be equal. On the other side we have different opportunities. Some of us are born with some qualities, with talent. People who have talents have better chances to be better. Also some peple work with better coaches, haw more money so can pay for better trainings. Some people have better conditions for training. Also the difference between our body's possibilities before and after taking drug are not large. It's not going to happen sometthing like, that on the list od sportsman first twenty are ones who take performance-enhancing drugs, and then ones who not. That's not gonna happen.

    Yes Anonymous

  • The use of performance enhancing drugs absolutely should not be legalized.

    The entire idea of sports is based around fair competition. The best of the best athletes competing against each other leading to extremely exciting entertainment. When performance-enhancing drugs get involved, the idea of FAIR competition goes out the window. Then the winner becomes not the most talented and hard working athlete, but the one who injected the most steroids into their system.

    Yes esmond10

  • Drug use should be legalized, but regulated. If the level of enhancement drugs is used we can handicap for it, but making outlaws of athletes is wrong.

    Outlaws should not have access to athletes, if drugs are outlawed people who are trying to be physically healthy have to have contact with the underworld. It's like prohibition in any other way -- use of alcohol shouldn't be a gateway drug for becoming a scofflaw and in general rule abuser, the criminal element doesn't need our achievement-motivated children and adults as an income source. People who are taking drugs should have their scores rated differently but sending potential models for our children to prison is sending the wrong message.

    Yes groovybox
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No
84% of users

  • It is not healthy for anyone to use steroids specifically for the purpose of making themselves stronger, faster or better at sports.

    Aside from the fact that it is medically unsafe to use steroids merely to be better at sports or physical activity, it is also unsportsmanlike to cheat in such a way in order to stack the odds in your favor.

    No PleasantCleveland49

  • Performance-enhancing drugs destroy any chance of a level playing field, and are also a potential health hazard.

    Legalizing performance-enhancing drugs would destroy any chance of a level playing field for athletes. It would effectively make the drugs mandatory for any athlete hoping to keep up. Since these drugs have some very bad potential health hazards attached to them, effectively forcing athletes to take them would be irresponsible.

    No KnownEvan

  • Performance enhancing drugs have proven long-term side effects, some of which are debilitating.

    Drugging athletes to increase performance is reckless and irresponsible. The only reason any athlete's performance needs to be enhanced is, in the end, related to money: either money for the individual athlete or for their team, either directly through increased exposure that leads to increased funding, or indirectly, due to an increased fan base who spend to support indirectly.

    No EweIICist

  • Never

    Drugs should never me be legalized. Sport is about the passion and belief of the competitors. Performers train hard enough to win a medal,or championship without having to beat the cheaters at the same time.

    No Anonymous

  • of COURSE not!!

    okay, there are MYRIAD reasons to why the use of performance-enhancing drugs should NOT be legalized. Okay, so it's a matter of freedom (response to the first answerer in the stupid "YES" category)? Well then if one went to get a gun to shoot everyone just because one wanted to, it's completely acceptable because he has a RIGHT to freedom?? Reasonable freedom is what America is known for, but it can't be COMPLETELY allowed- only in certain contexts. I'm not even going to give more examples, because 1. most of them are already covered by others 2. you should already know and 3. I'm too lazy:P hehe

    No Anonymous

  • drugs like this would turn sports into meaningless battles of who could get bigger muscles

    their would be no point in watching sports if all it was is people weighing 400 pounds and be the fastest. drugs are a waste of money and time for both people paying to watch and people playing the sport

    No Anonymous

  • No, because the harmful affects of performance-enhancing drugs are too great to make them legal.

    If performance-enhancing drugs are legalized, then all athletes in that particular sport would be mandated to use them, as without the drugs, their performance would drop below their peers. By legalizing them, they would essentially become mandated. The long term harmful effects of steroid use are well understood. Other drugs are less well understood. By legalizing them, we would be submitting every competitor in that sport to these harmful effects, causing them all to be guinea pigs.

    No SlyHymie

  • Performance-enhancing drugs have no place in modern society.

    Performance-enhancing drugs have a short-term benefit which costs the user's health in the long term. Laws, especially in sports, prohibiting these drugs is more for the safety of the people who play the sport, rather than keeping an even playing field. They are dangerous and people should not be allowed to liberally undertake using and abusing these drugs. There's no purpose for them.

    No RayEar

  • Performance-enhancing drugs in sports should not be legalized.

    It is an unfair advantage to the ones using them. Yes the others would be able to do so as well if it were legal and that would just put everyone on a level playing field. So would abolishing its use. It is only a bad thing and down the road they will notice the negative side effects.

    No dadude913

  • I oppose the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports because it destroys fair competition.

    Performance-enhancing drugs just feed into the overly competitive spirit that sports have devolved into. It creates a playing field where players are not judged by their natural athletic ability but rather who has been taking the best, and most drugs. I firmly believe that sports should be kept drug free, thus keeping the integrity of the sport at hand safe.

    No MorrAuthentic

  • Athletes should not use drugs to enhance their performance; these can be dangerous to the user and unfair in competition.

    The world of sports has become too much of a money-centered business with little left for pure competition and enjoyment of the sport. All drugs have side effects; they are foreign substances to the human body. The use of these can endanger the athlete's health and is certainly a cause of unfairness in competition. Where would it stop? There would be constant escalation of use, new more powerful drugs, use at a younger and younger age. Let's get back to pure human ability.

    No 54IInferno

  • Performance enhancing drugs have no place in the sports arena.

    Performance enhancing drugs have been nothing but a scar on the sporting world. I feel that athletes should only use natural substances just as others did once upon a time. Using performance enhancing drugs sets the wrong example for children. Children should not grow up thinking that taking the easy way to greatness is the best way. If performance enhancing drugs were legalized, then it would not even be worth watching anymore.

    No 5h4d0wWaId

  • The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports should not be legalized for health considerations.

    The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports should not be legalized for two main reasons. The first reason such drugs should not be legalized is for health considerations. Drugs are illegal or not approved by the FDA for good reason. Athletes work out and, in some ways, tax their heart muscle. Imagine if performance-enhancing drugs were allowed, it could be a very dangerous combination for an athlete that is already working his or her heart. In addition, we don't know what the long-term effects of such drugs are. The second reason performance-enhancing drugs should not be legalized is for the simple idea behind sportsmanship and playing the game. With whatever sport one may be talking about, athletes are hailed as stars or achieve fans because of what they themselves have accomplished. What could an athlete say he or she truly accomplished if this individual was taking drugs?

    No SandDari

  • Using Performance-Enhancing Drugs Is Cheating And It's Dangerous

    There is no way that performance enhancing drugs should be legalized. First of all they are not called performance enhancing by accident. The affect a persons ability to perform in sporting events. If some use them and others don't then there is no way that sports would ever be fair. Plus those who are playing today are playing against records set by people who played before steroids existed. So there would have to be a new category of records established. We would have to set up a performance enhanced record book for all the new records that would be set. Plus they are dangerous. Using steroids leads to long term health problems that can ultimately be fatal. So there is no way we should ever legalize them.

    No TasticBran

  • I oppose performance enhancing drugs because it is not safe and causes medical problems down the road for the athlete.

    Performance enhancing drugs do not provide a level playing field for the sport as a whole and the consequences of using PEDs can be detrimental to an athletes health. For example, steroids were prevalent in the early 1990s in professional wrestling. Many of the wrestlers we grew up idolizing are now dead because of steroids. Steroids can cause an inflammation around the heart and cause the heart to enlarge and cause the testicles to shrink. Steroids also cause violent mood swings and can cause depression and suicidal thoughts. Is this the type of role models we want our kids to have?

    No R3ubHockey

  • Performance enhancing drugs should not be legalized in sports because it's against the spirit of sports.

    Performance enhancing drugs should not be legalized in sports because it's against the spirit of sports. Natural talent and practice should be rewarded and celebrated, not steroids. And if we legalized what is known now, then someone would just come up with something new to give a select few an even further advantage.

    No H0bi3Invader

  • Performance-enhancing drugs are dangerous and should not be allowed in sports.

    There are many dangerous side effects to performance-enhancing drugs. If they are legalized, it gives the impression that they are acceptable for use. They should not be used at all. Sports are meant to show the abilities of the natural athlete. The world's best athletes are not truly showcasing their abilities if they are relying on performance-enhancing drugs.

    No VasilBuddy

  • I do not agree that sports enhancing drugs should be legalized, enhancements take away the true athletic talent of a sport.

    I feel that sports should be about true athleticism. The use of sports enhancements have really taken away from the energy and excitement of watching sports. When an athlete achieves a victory and then it comes out that they were using it takes away from the victory. They no longer seem genuine and the victory is no longer enjoyable to the fan.

    No C0ImEIite

  • Performance enhancing drugs should not be legal because they ruin the integrity of sport.

    The use of performance enhancing drugs should be banned in sports because they ruin the level playing field for all participants. If legal, performance enhancing drugs would force professional athletes to partake or lose their careers for an inability to play on a level with those who took enhancing drugs. The future health implications of performance enhancing drugs on players also cannot be dismissed easily.

    No ThegaXen

  • Performance-enhancing drugs should remain illegal, they offer an unfair advantage.

    Performance-enhancing drugs shouldn't be legalized, they give an unfair strength advantage to the user and the long-term effects of these drugs isn't known enough to even determine if they may be doing harm to the user. There is the so-called roid-rage that some steroid users experience, for example. While its true that some sports are a big business, by using these drugs, athletes are giving a bad example to young people. Hard work and practice should be the message to kids who want to excel, not taking drugs.

    No PinkMych

  • Never should steroids be legalized in sports or anywhere else.

    Professional baseball in the 1990's is the perfect example of how performance-enhancing drugs can ruin the integrity of a sport. Baseball is America's game, and some of it's greatest legends had their records erased by cheaters. Using these things is cheating, and that is just the bottom line. I can settle for slower players, or less home runs, fewer dunks, as long as what I am watching is real.

    No 5h035Bow
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