Well, in Amestris turning lead into gold is actually illegal, simply because it's not good for anything besides upsetting the economy. I've never really had much need to do it, myself, so I've never tried; alchemy has many more interesting uses than that, anyway - it's simply defined as altering matter, according to the law of Equivalent Exchange. Some use it to fix or create things; others weaponize it.
no subject
I'm one of the latter individuals.