Analýza trhu s androgenními anabolickými steroidy

This thesis deals with the black market of enhancing drugs with a particular focus on androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS). Medical studies agree that these substances in the form and quantity abused by athletes to improve performance are damaging the body and therefore author is looking for recommendations for economic policy on how to reduce rate of this abuse. The study of economic literature (especially the Becker's "Theory of rational addiction") shows that users of AAS are rational, often even more rational than users of other harmful substances, because they abuse these substances with long-term plan. The reason of this purposeful approach is that the desired "delight" is derived from hard-earned success unlike other drugs and therefore abuse of AAS is associated with discipline, calculation and hence a (limited ) rationality. Economists building on Becker 's theory point out to cases where this limitation is so significant that it justifies regulation. This thesis is based on the assumption (supported by studies) that prohibition or penalizing the users themselves are ineffective instruments and therefore is the author looking for alternative solution. The author believes that the main stimulators of demand for AAS are misleading media; benevolent government's approach towards bodybuilding competitions; and finally the prohibition leading to the formation of the black market which makes it impossible for (potential ) users to become optimally informed about health risks etc. This hypothesis is being tested in questionnaire survey distributed mainly through social networks. Finally, the author sets out recommendations for economic policy: that restrictive hand of the state should focus attention in the opposite direction than before i.e., the demand side and thereby subtly demotivate users themselves.