http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67...
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/4/e000774.full.html#T1
There are more, but freely accessing journals online is troublesome. I have NEVER seen any study say heroin is anything but one of the most crippling and dangerous addictions. I am still waiting for anyone to cite one...
Have a read. Do you think it still supports your position? It says, clearly, that alcohol is more harmful than heroin. Are you calling for alcohol to be made illegal?
Or: Bob is a heroin addict. Should Bob continue to buy heroin from the street? That heroin will be adulterated; of unknown strength; sold by criminals; and may require Bob to engage in acquisitive crime or prostitution to get the money needed. It will be injected with whatever needle Bob has, which may not be sterile and may be shared with other people, some of whom have blood borne diseases. Or should Bob be prescribed heroin by his doctor. That heroin will not be adulterated; will be of known strength; will be supplied with clean needles and advice on safe injection; and will not require Bob to engage in acquisitive crime or prostitution to get it.
Again: Heroin is undoubtedly an unwise choice, but keeping it illegal causes very great harm.
Yeah, alcohol, meth, crack all rank similarly and should be avoided unless you know are very sure how you will react.
People seem to be confused what my position actually is. That is mostly my fault though...
A lot of the harm from heroin come from adulterants which are injected, causing abscess; or from the illegality of providing clean needles and injection advice and safe spaces to inject which causes infection etc; or from the illegality of providing maintenance doses from doctors which cause people to burgle or sex work to get money to buy the drug.
Heroin is undoubtedly an unwise choice, but keeping it illegal has been a public health disaster.