[xorxornop]

They most certainly can - but the majority of the harms actually result from our treatment of the issue, not the issue itself. I think we simply have to accept that people are going to want to use these substances, and make it as safe as possible for them to do so. If the first step of a plan says something like "1) First, change fundamental human nature", the plan really needs a rethink.

[edblarney]

"but the majority of the harms actually result from our treatment of the issue, not the issue itself."

Total nonsense.

Please tell me what 'harms' come from heroin treatments?

The primary 'treatment' for heroin addiction is to simply 'not do heroin'.

Stop doing it.

Ultimately, that's the only way out.

" I think we simply have to accept that people are going to want to use these substances, and make it as safe as possible for them to do so."

No - again false. Law of Supply and Demand: if we make it hard enough to get, and raise the barrier of supply, and also try to push back demand by teaching kids not to use it - then it becomes rare.

Enabling users lowers the 'difficulty of access', like lowering the cost curve - and creates more usage.

Anyhow who is caught in public, high on heroin, can be asked to go to a dry out clinic where they won't have access to it. They have to go through withdrawal.

[jayajay]

> "the treatment for heroin addiction is to simply not do heroin... ...they have to go through withdrawal."

This is true for people who do not consume heroin a priori. For the others, suddenly stopping heroin use can be life threatening. Most people need assistance to wane off of things like that. Also, I think you are right that enabling will increase usage, but you must also consider the black markets which are enabled in response to disabling the regulated markets.

It seems like a majority viewpoint on this thread is that it's better for more people to be using real opioids safely than to have a smaller, effectively invisible/black-market population using "opioids" very, very dangerously.