Young British men turning to steroids to look good

LONDON, Sep 13 (Reuters) Young British men are turning to anabolic steroids to improve the way they look and boost their self-confidence, according to a survey by a drugs charity released today.

DrugScope said steroids, traditionally used by athletes and bodybuilders to improve performance, were becoming more popular with young professionals, building site workers and students aged between 16 and 25.

It said they were using the drug as a short cut to a muscled and toned physique.

''The rise in the number of young men misusing steroids is extremely worrying and seems to be in response to a growing obsession with the ideal body image,'' said DrugScope's chief executive Martin Barnes.

The charity surveyed drug agencies and police forces in 20 British cities and towns.

It said 11 areas had reported a rise in the mainstream use of steroids, which, while they are not illegal, can only be sold by pharmacists to people with a doctor's prescription.

The survey also found there had been an increase in ''speedballing'' -- injecting heroin and crack cocaine simultaneously.

''It is clearly on the increase and if this trend continues, it will be bad news for attempts to reduce the spread of injecting-related diseases and the number of drug overdoses,'' said Harry Shapiro, editor of Druglink magazine.

The use of powder or crystal MDMA -- two forms of Ecstasy -- had become more prevalent but an expected crystal meth epidemic had failed to materialise, DrugScope said.

REUTERS PDM PM0909