I have not read the thread, just the OP. But I have done a fair ammt of research on this as I have been an advocate for completely ending all drug prohibition for 25 years now. I don't have the study links, research links, etc handy but heroin is less dangerous to the human body than acetaminophrien is.
The 'dangers' and 'harm' comes from improper (non sterile) IV techniques, the crap mixed with heroin (which is NOT heroin), the secondary effects caused by drug prohibiton (inflated costs since ppl are risking life in prison importing it, selling it, etc) so ppl in general can not only not get pure heroin, they pay out the ass for the heroin+crap it is mixed with when sold. And due to the costs (which would be minimal if it was legal like coffee) they wind up spending everything they have saved, then run through their credit, then borrow from family, then borrow from friends, then sell everything they own, then spend their days doing a bunch of time consuming and risky stuff (that is often also quite bad for their fellow citizens) like prostituting with hiv or hepititis, or robbing, etc, etc, etc.
If a gram of dope cost 5 bucks and you could get it pure from the pharmacy, and also get narcan and accurate info about save dosing and safe administration techniques, assuming you were not mixing your heroin with barbituates and/or benzos and/or alcohol it is non toxic to the human body.
It is highly addictive, but not toxic or dangerous. OD's happen b/c people combine it with benzo's or barbituates. Or because their dealer was distracted when mixing his stuff so instead of an evenly cut batch he winds up with some that is very pure and some that is almost all cut (occasionallly this happens, doesn't happen in pharmacies). So user joe schmoe who buys x bags/day and uses xbags/day one day buys xbags and uses it and winds up with stuff that is way more potent than he was aware of or expecting... and dies. Wouldn't happen if legal. Or ppl OD b/c they are clean for a while and then start using again, but neglect to factor in they lost the tolerance they built up and use an ammt they used when they had a high tolerance... and bam... dead.
But OD's mostly happen from heroin being mixed with another downer and person stops breathing because of the combo of drugs used... and this always gets reported as 'heroin OD' which is factually incorrect.
And all the 'fiends' running the streets looking all worn down, if they had access to legal heroin at affordable prices could simply use it then go off to work, then come home and be with family and friends, etc, etc, etc... assuming they are using a dose that allows them to be functional and not so much that they are nodding and sleeping all day.
If you do your research, as I have, you will find physicians reporting that the drug heroin is not toxic to the human body. Gov't propaganda and the huge $ machine that gives politicians huge budgets to dole out contracts to their friends, etc and keeps millions of prison guards, judges, other court personell, millions of cops, etc, etc and millions of lawyers (tons getting paid by taxpayer money defendng users who can't afford their own lawyer, as well as all the lawyers employed by those who can pay for their own....) as well as the corruption that lines the pockets of judges and cops, etc is what is behind the propaganda/incorrect information that keeps the drug war..and lies about heroin and all other drugs going.
End prohibtion and we save billions of dollars a year....but put judges and cops and lawyers out of work. Something like 90% of congressmen are lawyers...maybe they care more about their friends and themselves than they care about me and you????
