Scots steroid injectors are using almost same number of needle exchanges as heroin addicts. Medic say the number of regular users of the bodybuilding drugs has soared across Scotland over the last two years, with the country’s only clinic in Glasgow reporting four times the number of clients since it opened in 2010.
But in the last two years, the Glasgow clinic has reported four times that number of clients. GP Dr Rob Dawson, one of the UK’s leading steroid experts, said: “We found nearly half – about 43 per cent – of people using needle exchanges across the UK are anabolic steroid users.
The Clinical Waste Discussion Forum has warned previously of the explosive increase in illicit steroid abuse among young men keen to show they muscles. The problem is two-fold. Firstly, many users are relying on illicit steroid products that may have serious and generally unwanted side-effects, and have been sharing drug supplies and needles/syringes to give injections. The incidence of bloodborne virus infection, most notably Hepatitis C, is increasing rapidly in the group.
Secondly, those who have yet to engage with a drug support and needle exchange scheme and seeking access to their drug supplies and sharing needles at the high street gyms, where discarded needles are creating significant safety problems. Indeed, though there is apparently some hesitation among gym operators to acknowledge that the problem exists in their establishments, sharps safety training for staff is now, fortunately, more widespread and many gyms have mounted secure sharps bins in the toilets.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/doctors-warn-scots-steroid-injectors-3061962
see also Steroid misuse increasing in Ireland
see also NICE recommendations – now gyms asked to provide sharps bins
see also Drug abuse in sport