Can You Buy Steroids in The UK?

Purchasing steroids in the UK has always been a controversial issue in the UK and there are various misconceptions for either it is a criminal offense to buy/possess Steroids in the UK or it is legal. 

What are steroids?

Steroids, also called corticosteroids are the synthetically produced substances in the adrenal cortex of the vertebrates and are analogous to the natural hormones produced in the body. 

Anabolic Steroids:

Anabolic steroids are also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that have similarity in structure and effects to natural androgens. 

Uses & Misuses of steroids:

The most common uses of steroids include treating inflammation, redness, and swelling during the inflammation. These are also used during different diseased conditions to improve the patient’s condition.

These steroids can be used by people as performance-enhancing drugs that increase muscle mass and decrease fat, as well as causing many undesirable effects. Some weightlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes take them regularly to improve their physical performance and build up their bodies.

Side effects of using Steroids: 

Regular or extensive use of steroids can cause:

Physical effects 

Psychological effects 

stunted growth in adolescents:

Addiction

Buying of Steroids in the UK:

Steroids possess a legal grey area between a medicinal product and a banned recreational drug all over the world. Buying steroids in the UK is still a controversy. As a class C substance for the Controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs act (1971), steroids are illegal to sell or deal with unless they are prescribed by a doctor for a medical reason and can be obtained from a Pharmacist. But it is not against the law to buy the drug as long as it is used for personal use.

The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971):

The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) is the system of classification that serves to determine the penalties for the possession and supply of controlled substances and to buy steroids in the UK. The current classification is as follows:

Class A includes cocaine, diamorphine (heroin), 3, 4 Methylenedioxy methyl amphetamine (‘ecstasy’), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and methylamphetamine.

Class B includes amphetamine, barbiturates, cannabis, codeine, and methylphenidate.

Class C includes benzodiazepines, buprenorphine, anabolic steroids, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), and ketamine.

Penalties for possession and supplying of controlled drugs:

Drug Class Possession Supply

Class A      7 years + fine      Life + fine

Class B      5 years + fine      14 years + fine

Class C      2 years + fine      14 years + fine

Are anabolic steroids illegal?

Anabolic steroids are prescription-only Steroids in the UK that are sometimes taken without any medical advice or a prescription to boost up muscle mass and improve athletic performance. As being class C substance, anabolic steroids can only be sold by a pharmacist with a prescription. Buying or selling of steroids is strictly controlled under the Misuse of Drugs act (1971). 

Possession of steroids:

It’s illegal to possess anabolic steroids if it is believed that you intend to supply or sell them or it includes giving them to a friend. In some areas of the UK, the Police have successfully prosecuted people for possession of steroids when the steroids have not been in the form of a medical product. 

Importation steroids into the UK:

Changes made in the law in 2012 made it illegal to import steroids by ordering them through mail order or online and having them delivered to you from outside the UK.

Following advice from the ACMD, anyone wishing to import steroids from outside the UK will have to do so in person (“personal custody”). It is no longer permitted to buy steroids and associated drugs from outside the UK, through internet and mail order sites and have the products delivered.”

So, it is legal to bring steroids into the UK (buy steroids in the UK) if you are doing so for your personal use and if you bring the drugs in yourself i.e. you physically carry them into the country yourself when returning from abroad.

Penalties for the importation of steroids

The maximum penalty on conviction for importation of steroids is 14 years imprisonment or an unlimited fine that depends on:

The value of the steroids imported

Your role in the offense

Summary:

Buying steroids in the UK is legal as far as it is prescription-based and for personal use. It is illegal to buy steroids online to supply, import, or export them.