A focus on harm reduction has led to a world-first steroid-testing service being offered in Brisbane.
Launched by Griffith University's Dr Tim Piatkowski in partnership with the Queensland Injectors Health Network (QuIHN), Queensland Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action (QuIVAA) and The Loop Australia, the confidential service aims to empower people to make more informed decisions.
Users of performance and image enhancing drugs (IPEDs) are encouraged to drop off used vials at collections points, with samples then tested for purity or contaminants, and to confirm if the substances are what they were expected to be.
Dr Piatkowski is a lecturer at Griffith's School of Applied Psychology and believes information is key in minimising unintended consequences.
"Research has shown the legality of a substance rarely factors into consumer desire when it comes to attaining outcomes or goals," he said.
"Young men in particular often feel pressured to achieve a muscular physique due to social media influencers or popular culture, with many experiencing distress if their own bodies don't look that way even after extreme exercise, dieting and use of readily available supplements.
"This unrealistic expectation and inner conflict can often lead to risky behaviours like using IPEDs."
Steroid use is illegal in Australia, with penalties for possession including various terms of imprisonment.
Queensland holds the harshest penalties in the country, following changes to the law in 2014 to target trafficking by outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Dr Piatkowski said this high level of criminalisation had pushed users further underground and away from medical care.
"People are scared to ask for help because of the law," he said.
"We've heard from the community that people who use these drugs do want information and they do want to engage in harm reduction.
"In an unregulated market, you never really know what you're getting.
"In some cases the desired compound may not even be in the injected substance, but we've also heard of instances where contaminants have led to infections or abscesses, or even required surgery.
"While they are concerned about their health, stigmatisation means these individuals are turning to peers, other consumers on social networks or steroid or drug coaches."
Bachelor of Science Honours student Maddie Harding has been testing the samples collected through the trial and said a quarter had returned unexpected results.
"In the first wave of the trial we received 24 samples, which were screened to determine if the expected steroid was present, as well as what carrier oils were used, and if there were any other substances in the mix," she said.
"The samples are highly concentrated, so trace residues from used vials are more than enough for us to test.
"We've found some cross contamination with other steroids being detected within the compounds, as well as a desired steroid being absent.
"None of the unexpected results have been too alarming yet, but we're really encouraging the community to bring in more samples so we can form a bigger picture, ensure users are as informed as possible and minimise any harm."
Samples can be dropped off at the Bowen Hills CheQpoint site on Fridays between 12:30pm and 6pm, with the trial initially set to run for one year.
The service is confidential, however participants are encouraged to contact Dr Piatkowski to discuss their usage patterns, what they're hoping to achieve and any concerns they have.
"Ultimately it's up to the individual whether they take something or not, but this at least helps ensure their choices are based on knowledge, rather than injecting or ingesting something they hadn't planned on," Dr Piatkowski said.
"If we can bring peers and the community together, we can drive quite meaningful changes."
