These addicts are not ill, they don't have a 'disease'. They are addicts. 

While I am the first to agree that the 'war' on drugs' was an abject failure I cannot see that the proposed alternative is any cheaper or that it will work in any way. What is being proposed is that we ignore the criminal aspect of the drug trade and instead 'treat' the poor addicts whose addiction, we are assured is certainly not their own fault and who committed all those other crimes, driving while intoxicated, theft, burglary and the like simply because they were addicted and 'sick'. All this might be a good idea except that it just does not work.

The best evidence available today indicates that the very best treatment centers for opioid addiction are programs that are in patient and have a duration of at least 6 months. The success rate is well less than five percent at these sorts of places.