A scientific research program that's detected toxic metals in illegal anabolic steroids has been caught up in Queensland’s drug check ban. Talks will be held to confirm if the project - called roid-check - can keep collecting samples in the state.
00:00As a top power lifter Theo Maddox has seen a rise in anabolic steroid use.
00:11People want to be bigger, they want to be stronger.
00:14He thinks it's being fuelled by social media.
00:17Body expectations that a lot of women have dealt with for decades and decades.
00:21The illegal substances are synthetic forms of testosterone.
00:25Side effects can include mood swings, infertility and swelling of male breast tissue.
00:32Harm reduction researcher Tim Piatkowski is concerned about the health impacts.
00:37People who use steroids aren't your Arnold Schwarzenegger anymore.
00:41It is your brother, it is your brother's cousin, it is your next door neighbour.
00:45He set up a research project called ROID Check, gathering steroids from users and having them tested.
00:52In one published study an analysis of 28 samples found heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead and cadmium.
01:01That can cause things like cancer, can cause cognitive impairment and decline, can cause issues with the heart.
01:10And I think also what makes this study different is that it is one of the first studies I guess that is actually using these findings to inform harm reduction messaging, which is a really positive step.
01:20ROID Check is different from pill testing because the results are used for research rather than being given to individuals.
01:27Queensland's recent drug checking ban has led to confusion about whether samples can be gathered in the state.
01:35After questions from the ABC, health authorities will meet with researchers.
01:39We need to make decisions around people's health that are informed by the evidence.
01:44The evidence is a very special procedure to identify the evidence.
01:49It's a very specific case and the evidence is a very special case and the evidence is to be seen.
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