At least 248 officers and firefighters obtained steroids and human growth hormone

The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that at least 248 police officers and firefighters obtained steroids, growth hormone, and other performance enhancing drugs from a single doctor.

And apparently, N.J. taxpayers got bill for millions in steroid, growth hormone prescriptions for cops, firefighters. So now, N.J. lawmaker calls on attorney general to investigate steroids, HGH use among law enforcement.

Oh yeah, someone else got caught in this investigation: Ex-Jets quarterback Ray Lucas was prescribed steroids, HGH by Dr. Colao.

Get over it.

I'm sorry, but if my house is on fire, I want the guys and gals who respond to the alarm to be able to lift a wall off of me or my family. Do they need a little chemical assistance to be that strong? Maybe . . . and who cares.

As far as the prescriptions are concerned, so what. If wasn't steroids it would be pain-killers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Either way, their tax dollars are paying for it.

This might be big news in New Jersey, but my guess is that this is happening in every major city in the country. There are a couple of guys who work out at the Bally Total Fitness (where I train clients) who sometimes wear Tucson Fire Department t-shirts - I know these guys are juiced. I've seen one of them put on 50+ lbs of muscle in the last year - that simply does not happen from creatine and a healthy diet.

And I hope to hell they work in the fire house that serves my neighborhood.

As far as police officers using steroids, I'm a little more conflicted about that part of the story.

Here is some of the story from the original article:

In just over a year, records show, at least 248 officers and firefighters from 53 agencies used Colao’s fraudulent practice to obtain muscle-building drugs, some of which have been linked to increased aggression, confusion and reckless behavior.

Six of those patients — four police officers and two corrections officers — were named in lawsuits alleging excessive force or civil rights violations around the time they received drugs from him or shortly afterward.

Others have been arrested, fired or suspended for off-duty infractions that include allegations of assault, domestic abuse, harassment and drug possession. One patient was left nearly paralyzed after suffering a stroke his doctor attributed to growth hormone prescribed by Colao.

For many in the physician’s care, use of the drugs apparently didn’t end with Colao’s death.

They instead sought other doctors who specialize in prescribing growth hormone or testosterone, an anabolic steroid, according to patients, legal documents and the doctors themselves. The physicians have not been accused of wrongdoing.

This passage contains the incidents that concern me - excessive violence. Police officers are already more likely to engage in domestic violence (40% of police officers self-report that they have used violence against their domestic partners within the last year. In the general population, it's estimated that domestic violence occurs in about 10% of families) so when you add hormones that can make aggressive men more aggressive, you have some problems.

I don't believe in "roid rage" - it's a stupid scare tactic perpetrated by the media and dumb meatheads in gyms. BUT, if you are already prone to violence and aggression, the steroids will make it worse. And there is the problem - these guys are in jobs that require aggression and violence, giving them steroids is pouring gasoline on a fire.

If it were only growth hormone, I wouldn't be too bothered aside from the health risks involved with taking growth hormone - if you ANY cancer cells in your body, growth hormone will make them grow like crazy, along with your internal organs, your jaw, and your muscles (if you work out and eat properly).

Anyway, I'm sure we will be hearing more about this, so I wanted have my say. Personally, I think steroids should be legal and available to anyone with doctor supervision. But I am in the minority on this issue.

Steroids and HGH work pretty well, as these pictures of the Doc involved show - he transformed from wimpy doctor to Clark Kent:

Photos courtesy of Bayonne Medical Center/Leon ColaoJersey City physician Joseph Colao. The picture at left is from 1997. The photo at right was taken in 2005. A survivor of triple-bypass surgery, Colao underwent a transformation. His new body: tanned, toned and muscled.
In 2007, Colao died of hardening of the arteries at age 45.

But if you abuse them, and if you do not monitor your lipids, which it appears Dr. Colao did not, you die young. Even your average bodybuilding gym rat knows this - you NEED to take your fish oil when you are on a cycle.

Tags: steroids, law, police, firefighters, society, Dr. Joseph Colao, New Jersey, Star-Ledger, investigative report, violence, domestic violence, growth hormone, testosterone, anabolic steroids, HGH, tax dollars