title: Nonprescription steroids on the Internet.
abstract: This study evaluated the degree to which anabolic-androgenic steroids are proffered for sale over the Internet and how they are characterized on popular Web sites. Searches for specific steroid product labels (e.g., Dianabol) between March 2006 and June 2006 revealed that approximately half of the Web sites advocated their "safe" use, and roughly one third offered to sell them without prescriptions. The Web sites frequently presented misinformation about steroids and minimized their dangers. Less than 5% of the Web sites presented accurate health risk information about steroids or provided information to abusers seeking to discontinue their steroid use. Implications for education, prevention, treatment, and policy are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106, USA. cmcdonald@tresearch.org
authors.forename: Christen L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Marlowe
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Patapis
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Festinger
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Forman
mesh_terms: D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D000728:Androgens / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003132:Commerce; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D000728:Androgens
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