December 1, 2008 
Maybe someone out there can explain this to me, but it makes no sense to me. The Swiss apparently have had a program since 1994 (that they just voted to make permanent) which helps addicts satisfy their craving for heroin rather than try to end their addiction.
Is this just easier? I don’t understand.
Enabling Healthy Decisions 
This is a common question with a simple answer. It isn’t meant to end their addiction.
Prescription heroin is for the small group who have failed constantly at other drug treatments. It is a last resort.
Interestingly enough, it actually has a better success rate for long term users than methadone or abstinence only treatment. Over 30% of patients become drug free within a few years and about 30% move onto methadone.
It’s not for everyone but allows the hardcore addicts to break the cycle of using dangerous street heroin and committing crime to fund their habits. Since heroin is non toxic, there are very few side effects. Most of the problems with heroin addiction is the illegality.
We keep forgetting that before the 1950s, most of the world prescribed morphine and heroin to addicts and most of them became drug free within a 5 year period (known as the addiction cycle). The difference is there was no crime, no drug dealers, no health problems, no shame so addicts went into treatment quickly, no shoot outs and it was very hard to get illegally.