> Ignoring that most people wouldn't try hard drugs even if they were more readily available, the current opiate problem is more like if alcohol was unregulated and made in bathtubs everywhere, and every few beers had methanol in it instead of ethanol.

While I am generally all for harm reduction and even legalization, 19th century history shows what happens when opium becomes readily available to a country with no limitations.

Arguably, people in XIX century wasn't really aware of opioid addiction. Significant portion of treated troops in US were hooked up on opioids, because physicians weren't aware of issues.