Instead of focusing on dietary supplements, the authors should have focused on assessing the personalities and intelligence levels of the athletes involved. What we have witnessed is not a problem with supplements, but a problem with the intelligence and time-preference of select professional athletes. Only an idiot would risk his career by taking a product that might contain a banned substance. It’s pretty difficult to refute that razor.

Of course, acknowledging that the “victims” might be idiots is not a story that will lead to cocktail party invitations. However, such a story would be more beneficial for society than statist calls to interfere with voluntary exchange amongst peaceful peoples. The latter is unforgiveable. Journalists and industry players foolishly invite FDA scrutiny. What is needed is the ability for companies to opt-out of all regulation; an announcement on the bottle would be enough to warn the consumer. In this regard, the industry could be dramatically propelled forward with proper 3rd party regulation that would prove far superior than what the “govern by force” employees of the FDA could ever manage. Moreover, the principle of freedom would retained for those of us who value it. The fools of the world could choose to live by FDA regulation and the inherent risks therein.

My proposal would be a boon for business, for consumers and for industry lawyers. My plan would also be in keeping with the notion of liberty and individual freedom.