but too say one is less destructive than the others is hypocritical.
Most people drink alcohol in moderation and are not addicted, nor do they cause drunk problems. Drugs like meth and heroin are highly addictive and very few people can use them recreationally. If you use those drugs, you almost certainly *will* become addicted. Having a couple of beers on the weekend or a glass of wine with dinner isn't the same as shooting up several times a day. One has only to take a quick trip about an hour north to see the devastation of drug addiction on communities. It's demonstrably false that shooting heroin has the same effect as drinking a beer or smoking a cigarette.
And again, they can OD and die if they want to - not my business. Unfortunately our government makes it my business when they want me to pay for these people's health care, and the druggies themselves make it my business when they steal my #### to sell for drug money. It gets made my business when some clueless do-gooder or money grubbing opportunist decides that they can turn these folks into responsible citizens, and wants to use my tax dollars to do it.