The digital 'gold-rush': the growth of the online trade of anabolic steroids in Belgium and the Netherlands

Abstract

Over the past decade there has been an increase in the use of steroids and other human enhancement drugs (HEDs) (e.g., illegal weight-loss drugs, 'smart drugs') across the globe. Specifically, the Internet appears to be playing an important role in facilitating this rising global demand for HEDs: by acting both as a source of information and as a tool for obtaining these substances. Indeed, Internet based sources, such as online 'pharmacies', bodybuilding forums and steroid-selling websites, seem to increasingly be replacing the 'local (gym) vendors' by offering a wide range of HEDs at affordable prices and without a prescription.