The Flip Medley

There is always a lot of discussion about whether we should legalize drugs (specifically marijuana), but I take an idealistic libertarian view of drug use:

Legalize it.

I say this as someone who doesn’t smoke cigarettes, who drinks only on social occassions (yes, I still have those Corona beers that have been in my fridge for a year), who doesn’t even like taking Motrin for pain relief without my doctor’s blessing.

But that’s my decision.

Similarly, if someone wants to use drugs, a “sound-bite” of my position on it is that this a personal decision as long as the they do no harm to others.

However, when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs, I find myself thinking that there are clear benefits for those who are willing to risk the side-effects and consequences of using performance enhancing drugs, and if a person chooses to go that route then why should they be stopped?

Case in point, let’s look at Major League Baseball. McGwire. Sosa. Bonds. All three made their franchises a bit wealthier because, as they performed better on the field, the team owners benefitted from increased gate attendance and media exposure.

Even with all of the controversy surrounding him, Bonds’ quest to set the home run record and team loyalty combined to cause fans show up in droves to see the Giants play.

Of course, there’s always Roger Clemens, but I’ll wait to comment on him until he gets his day in court.. well, one of them.

And this is not a problem that is unique to Major League Baseball — every major sports league, including international bodies have had to deal with it. And the consequences affect not only the person who is “cheating”, but their teammates. When Marion Jones was found guilty of using steroids by the IOC, they not only stripped her of all of her medals from her Olympic wins, the IOC may also strip her teammates on the 1600m and 400m relays of their medals as well.

Of course, not everyone gets punished.

Shawne Merriman, a linebacker for the San Diego Chargers was almost named the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year despite being suspended by the NFL for steroid use.

If an actor, like Sylvester Stallone, uses steroids or human growth hormone to improve their physique to boost box office revenue, there are no professional consequences. Arnold Schwarzenegger never had to relinquish his Mr. Olympia title because of steroid use, but of course they were legal at the time (1967). The millions he’s made as an actor thanks to his initial successes as a body builder are the direct result of his steroid use. It’s a bit hard to tell aspiring athletes to “just say no” when they see steroid users being successful not only in sports, but in movies and politics!

So here’s my (perhaps oversimplified) way of thinking.

There is no prohibition on software developers hammering Red Bull and coffee to meet a deadline.

There are no rules preventing models from using drugs to maintain a “certain size” to remain employed on the runways of Milan and Paris.

There are no rules governing how an actor “bulks up” or loses weight for a role. And if you’ve ever been to a casting call, you know that no one cares why you look the way you do, only that you fit the look they are looking for.

And we’re even seeing students taking ADHD drugs to improve their test scores.

So if it is okay for everyone else in society to be trusted to make a decision about their health versus the short-term gains afforded by using “performance enhancing” drugs, why shouldn’t we allow our athletes, who already operate at an incredibly high level, whose bodies are tuned to the point of near-perfection, take advantage of whatever tools are available to them?

This is not about leveling the playing field within the game. To me, it’s about allowing athletes to make decisions about their own bodies knowing the possible rewards and consequences.