Where heroin is prescribed legally, like Switzerland, virtually all it's so-called nasty side effects are negated.
People prescribed it don't OD because quantity/quality consistencies are guaranteed. They don't catch things like HIV/HCV because IV equipment availability minimizes equipment sharing. The desire to rob or steal is minimized because prescription heroin doesn't cost much more to make than aspirin.
Heroin is just a catalyst of morphine, that converts back to morphine in the body, & as such negative side-effects of long term use of prescription heroin are as minimal as they are for morphine, being simply a higher rate of dental cavities if one's dental hygiene isn't upgraded, due to DIDMS (drug induced dry mounth syndrome) like many other medications. Yes there are war veterans who have been on autonomous morphine pumps for over 40 years years (for things like shrapnel against the spin, etc) & that is their only negative side-effect. Even this side-effect can be negated through the regular use of a electric toothbrush & extra strong toothpaste like NF2K.
BTW I know a number of people that were perpetual thieves/scammers/sex-workers till they got on prescription heroin & in very quick time became highly successful professionals in a number of different legitimate industries.
I Also know many people that tried heroin & didn't like it & moved on, & also know people that don't have any problem using heroin infrequently enough to never get a habit (Simply no more than 2 days a week)
It's not hard to tell the addicts from those that arn't. The fact is if a person does not have 1 of about 8 specif axis 1 mental disorders or 1 of about 12 personality disorders, the odds are they will never become a addict long term regardless of how much they experiment with drugs in their teens or their 20's. Mind you a large percentage of those that do have personality disorders are never diagnosed as, & thus arn't aware of their risk, are in denial, or are simply written off as junky scums. Adversely you could say that anyone that's over 30 that's still living a dysfunctional drug addict life style, odds on has a personality disorder &/or 1 of about 8 specific A1 mental disorders, whether they have been diagnosed or not. The classic junkie cliché of ripping off one's own grandmother is usually an indicator of a cluster B personality disorder. These facts outline the answers to the old questions of the difference between a heavy drinker & a alcoholic, or a recreational gambler & a compulsive gambler. Invariably the difference is that the alcoholic/compulsive gambler also has a personality disorder or a mental disorder.
One could also define the 12 steps of AA/NA as a arguably functional lifestyle method for those that are on the wagon in regards their compulsions & have undiagnosed personality disorders or are in-denial in that regard (many addicts have many attitudes that have not matured from their days in high school, where to identify as having a mental problem was considered worse than to identify as a druggie).