How did they manage it in the 30s (or whenever depending on your nationality)? Are you absolutely certain that criminalization wasn't an overreaction to a problem that after all wasn't all that big?
>An estimated 13.5 million people in the world take opioids (opium-like substances), including 9.2 million who use heroin.
That's an insignificant number compared to the global population and all the harm the BS cat/mouse game with mafia and police has caused.
Back then lives were being ruined as well. And the availability and affordability of dangerous drugs has only increased since then.
People just didn't make such a "fuss" of addiction, and especially in the case of poorer people, nobody really cared.
So why should we make a fuss out of it today?
>and especially in the case of poorer people, nobody really cared.
Whereas now they do?