yes the pros vs cons makes it a hard decision.

i guess the Coroner's reports keep highlighting people who were on "the program" but never seemed to improve.

fundamentally, how to empower people to not become addicts in the first place?
also, how to ensure that it just doesn't become another Industry of guaranteed revenue?

ultimately, people can do whatever they choose - and that brings in the Angels & Devils to help/hinder & profit from the situation.

Like you say, it has been debated from time-to-time, but it is considered "accepted practice", and yet, it seems like a revolving door.

(I see much of these "established" norms, such as, recidivism, family abuse etc)

My current angst (i guess angst because it concerns me) is how mainstream language enters into Coroner's Reports and refuse to consider areas that would be deemed offensive.

For example, several people from the Trans community committed Suicide using Nitrites. (I think 5 people, with 4 of them connected & 1 seemingly not). All of them had troubled childhoods, all of them were on medication due to being diagnosed with behavioural issues, and all of them identifying as Trans.

There were many factors discussed, yet, not one mention that possibly their identifying as Trans was part of their mental illness process.
Regardless, of your thoughts for or against a person's lifestyle choices, to totally not see that "the current messaging of society" may have impacted or created a pattern of behaviour as possibly retarding the ability to find a solution.

Humanity seems to want to create blindspots to avoid questioning sensitive topics.
(You can input Church behaviours, Humanitarian organisations, Slavery, Racist behaviours, Suppression of Cultures & Peoples etc etc it holds back progress to ensure "the current accepted thing" is left to fester)