Dec 18 2008
Illegal Steroids Infiltrating the Entertainment Industry
While steroid scandal after steroid scandal have been rocking professional sports particularly pro baseball and football, the steroid culture is starting to infiltrate the music industry as well, according to a report done by the Times Union in Albany, New York. Citing confidential sources, the names dropped in the report included Wyclef Jean, Timbaland, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige. While there is no hard evidence that the musicians have violated any law in their alleged steroid-use, investigators are focusing on anti-aging clinics, pharmacists and doctors who prescribe the drug for aesthetic and anti-ageing purposes (which is, by the way, illegal).
The report claims that the alleged rappers and singers are only a few of the thousands of people who have used steroids and injectible human growth hormone (hGH) in the past few years, which have been prescribed to them by doctors of wellness and anti-ageing clinics. Law enforcements say that the alleged use of steroids in the entertainment industry, which is already a human laboratory of various anti-aging regimens and experiments including botox injections, collagen, and a long list of cosmetic surgeries, is proof that steroid use has indeed spread more ubiquitously throughout the country.
The illegal use of human growth hormone and steroids among professional football players is currently at the forefront of congressional investigation. Today, the same steroids and hGH are being prescribed illegally across the country to celebrities as well as average people. There are institutions and medical professionals maliciously marketing these drugs as effective in enhancing looks, speed, and strength, as well as slows the process of aging and aid in the healing process. Experts, however, warn that the drugs can have serious side effects when abused and prescribed incorrectly.
The Times Union report claims that it was able to access records from various sources on Long Island, New York that indicated that steroids or human growth hormone were shipped to the aforementioned entertainers, sometimes under fictious names. The orders were shipped to production studios, hotels, private residences, and fitness clubs through the office of Long Island chiropractor Michael Diamond who also helps run an anti-aging program at the Manhattan Clay Gym.
At press time, spokespeople for Blige, Timbaland and 50 Cent could not be reached. Jean’s spokesperson was reached but gave no comment. In the New York Daily News, Karynne Tender, spokesperson for Mary J. Blige said that the singer “has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids.”
When asked to comment, Michael Diamond cited patient privacy laws which prevented him from discussing any of his patients, their cases, or why they were treated. He denied having to do anything with athletes. The Times Union report noted that while he didn’t want to talk about who his patients were, it appeared evident that Diamond catered to famous clients as can be clearly seen by the many stars whose autographed photos dotted the walls of his office.
The Times Union claimed in the report that they have obtained records to show that performers had prescriptions signed by Dr. Gary Brandwein, the South Florida osteopath who is awaiting trial in Albany for felony drug charges. He was named last year as the doctor who prescribed steroids to Chris Benoit, the professional wrestler who killed his wife and was linked to steroid scandals.
[...] the past years, Blige has been repeatedly identified as among those entertainers that allegedly use performance enhancing drugs - the most recent of which was by the Albany Times Union on Sunday. But as expected, her camp [...]