Daily use of opiates is not harmful to the general health. The horror stories most people are familiar with involve unsterile injection of street concoctions, anything from bathtub fentanyl to baby powder.
Lifelong oral users (and even users who inject using sterile technique) of pharmaceutical grade opiates can and do live long productive lives.
I've read a lot of stories by long term opiate users, and the things they've said about it have made me pretty biased. I've had opiates a few times, and nothing about being opiated seems very attractive.
Most people feel the same, which is why the idea that everyone--or even a significantly large number--would become addicts if opiates were available OTC is nonsense.
Daily use of opiates is not harmful to the general health. The horror stories most people are familiar with involve unsterile injection of street concoctions, anything from bathtub fentanyl to baby powder.
Lifelong oral users (and even users who inject using sterile technique) of pharmaceutical grade opiates can and do live long productive lives.
I've read a lot of stories by long term opiate users, and the things they've said about it have made me pretty biased. I've had opiates a few times, and nothing about being opiated seems very attractive.
Most people feel the same, which is why the idea that everyone--or even a significantly large number--would become addicts if opiates were available OTC is nonsense.