Heroin withdrawal is shit, but compared to alcohol or benzos it’s at least not deadly. Also opiates are not hard on the body.
The problem with opiates is mostly getting clean ones - and the money for it.
In Switzerland they have a program, where they hand clean heroin to addicts and with a safe clean supply they can work, get a grip on their life again, and they start to reduce the dosage themselves after some time.
The social stigma and the idea to punish someone out of addiction is obviously bullshit.
People usually self medicate because of problems. So solving those problems is the right approach and not just taking away the crutch.
Also the state is losing quite some money with the prohibition - on multiple fronts