Heroin isn't especially dangerous from a medical standpoint. Heroin cut with god knows what injected with a reused needle is incredibly dangerous.
Most heroin ODs are actually the reverse problem....a frequent user gets something that for once ISN'T cut, takes their normal dose and instantly ODs. Even that is easily handled if Narcan is available.
I'm not saying anyone should use heroin, but from a purely pharmaceutical standpoint it isn't an especially dangerous drug, and in many places (but not the US) is used for the treatment of severe pain. Something like Oxycontin is harder on the body due to the acetaminophen.
Even making heroin available to addicts doesn't make sense, when you can feed them subutex as a ready alternative.
Anyway, you can legalize all these drugs, but make the harder ones prescription only and highly taxed.
Re:Testing Legal Highs Would Save Lives
by aorloff on Saturday November 29, 2014 @10:30PM
(#8675881)
Its not just taxation that needs to occur with legalization of harder drugs. Its a comprehensive reaction from the social safety net - no more unemployment, no welfare, and CPS comes to check on your kids if you have them.
But drugs like Ice, Meth or Heroin are incredibly dangerous, toxic and addictive regardless of how well they are made. Making them readily accessible to existing addicts makes sense. But to first-time users ? No way.