[sidcool]

The addictive and tolerance building effects of opiates are pretty bad. Heroin may make you feel better, but the withdrawal effects are horrific. Heroin legalization would help people get off the addiction. But it should not be done to encourage people take more opiates.

[AstralStorm]

I remember some addiction treatment centers in certain countries (was it UK?) were allowed to prescribe opiates including heroin as part of program to wean people off it.

Is that gone as part of some stupid war on drugs or other?

[maffydub]

Still true-ish - it's methadone rather than heroin.

From https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/drug-addiction-get...:

> If you're dependent on heroin or another opioid drug, you may be offered a substitute drug, such as methadone.

[gambiting]

No, actual, real heroin is prescribed legally to some people:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/heroin-addic...

It's also used legally in the UK in paliative care for cases where it's easier to administer than morphine.