Performance Enhancing Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Performance Enhancing Drugs - Essay Example The danger imposed on these mixtures was that when taken in large doses they became poisonous. Actually, this is attributed as one of the causes of early athletes’ deaths like Thomas Hicks. For this reason, using performance-enhancing drugs is not new although it is increasingly becoming more and more popular. Over the years, a number of individuals involved in sports have died either during or after participation in different sports. The loss of many talented athletes who fell victim to PED overdose caused the Olympic team to start up a committee that formulated rules against doping. Nevertheless, some individuals argue that the move of making PEDs illegal was not justified. There has been continued controversy on whether performance-enhancing drugs should be eradicated or legalized. This controversy is at upper levels because some people are in favor of banning PEDs whereas others are continually discovering new ones. Reasons for not legalizing PEDs The use of performance-en hancing drugs should not be legalized. In sports, some PEDs are legal whereas others are not allowed. However, it is important to realize that the legalized PEDs are not harmful. Some of the legal drugs that can be used include supplements and sports foods that provide benefits in sports performance. These legal supplements include bicarbonate, creatine, calcium, carbonate powders, intramuscular iron, intra muscular vitamin, vitamin B12, liquid meal replacements, Melaton, and a few others. In any case, these are not drugs but considered as dietary supplements. Illegal performance enhancement drugs include steroids and methods for enhancement of oxygen transfer. These PEDs are banned because they are meant to increase a person’s activity. Continued use of the drugs, may cause danger to the user. According to most people, the legalization of drugs like steroids could result to lose of fascination in the sports world. In addition, there could be serious medical consequences for the users. Others believe that it is essential to legalize the usage of performance enhancing drugs because individuals would increase their activity, hence, increasing the fun achieved in sports. The awareness to stop the use of PEDs began after the death of a cyclist, Tommy Simpson, during the tour de France cycling race. After his death, specialists confirmed that he had been using amphetamine to enhance his activity during races. Amphetamines is a well known stimulant that is made to imitate adrenaline, hence, causes the users to experience increased alertness, energy and reduced fatigue. It becomes very harmful when the user is dehydrated and is exposed to a lot of heat. The campaign against performance increasing drugs went on and seemed to increase during the Helsinki games of 1952 and the Melbourne Olympics of 1956. However, the sports bodies involved in these games handled the cases ensuring that every player understood the consequences of using PEDs. In the current years, the debate has intensified with different people tabling their arguments about whether the use of drugs should be legalized or not. Some support the use of drugs saying that it makes the action more interesting while those who are against it argue that the use of PEDS