> I don't think they are the same. For one, "opium is benign" was just
> brought up by someone here as a provocative statement. While
> technically true, it doesn't show the whole story (which point you've
> [over] made several times). So while "opium is benign" is true in the
> abstract, the rest of the lifestyle (and economic structure) is where
> the details are.
>
> /jordan
Since I was the one who initially typed "opium is benign" I'll let you know it was not brought up as a provocative statement. You are mistaken in that assumption.
Wojtek mentioned deaths from opium use. I inquired if they died from impurities in the home manufacture process, septisemia, or OD? Generally speaking it is almost impossible to accidentially OD on opium. I'll argue that it is rather difficult to accidentially OD on heroin too but it is easier to do so with heroin than opium. Since it is very difficult to accidentially OD on opium I was curious as to if the home process used was dangerous or if unclean shooting practices were the source of most of the deaths. Nothing in this question was intended to provoke a response from anyone but Wojtek. The question itself admits to the less than benign social aspects of drug use.
Spend some serious time speaking with junkies and you'll find that the acquaintances of people who OD generally believe that the persons death was suicide. Junkies know how much to take and the incidences of them buying more potent heroin than they intended, thus causing accidental OD, are so few and far between as to almost be statistically insignificant. Peoples initial experiences are almost always with an experienced shooter so accidental OD caused by unfamiliarity is also practically unheard of. When junkies OD it is generally anything but an accident. If you believe otherwise you don't know what you're talking about.
John Thornton