Don&#x27;t understate the &quot;do not do crime&quot;. I&#x27;ve known addicts and the biggest damage they cause (apart from dying when they OD on unknown-quality junk) is that they become thieves and liars. No one trusts them and it tears relationships apart. Both are fixed by having more legal availability. If they were simply able to get opiate as easily as pot, then addicts for the most part would be just like potheads. Perhaps being useless, perhaps seen as a drain or whatever, but not dangerous, not bad people like some junkies turn into.<p>With proper availability, opiates are very well tolerated. Being addicted, by itself, is not a big deal. Apart from the negative pieces you see like this one, opiates are still a huge success for many people. Not just physical pain, but emotional pain, depression, and stress. Keep an eye out for pinned pupils and notice how many professionals have them.<p>There&#x27;s this stigma that addiction is inherently bad. Yet it only applies to &quot;fun&quot; drugs like opiates. No one, in general, goes on about the terribleness it is to be addicted to antipsychotics or insulin or antidepressants. At best, you hear how annoying it is, having to always make sure you&#x27;ve got your gear - but I&#x27;ve not seen people go on about the intrinsic badness of addictions lifesaving medications cause.<p>What should be available is more public health awareness, and a cultural shift. People should be free to get addicted, but easily obtain services to help with it, without being labelled or criminalized. You don&#x27;t need to rob people of liberty and cause suffering by requiring a paid gatekeeper to watch over everyone.