It used to be that in Great Britain, anyone who could convince their shrink that they were hopelessly addicted to anything, the doctor would write them a prescription for their substance of choice and in the dose they request; counseling was optional. After three years, most of the patients were still alive, functional, gainfully employed, and had quit drugs. It made no difference statistically between those who participated in counseling and those who did not. When the United States declared international War on Drugs, England discontinued that program, and now has a serious problem with drug related deaths and crime.

In Canada, Americans can obtain Opiates over the counter without a prescription and legally bring them back into the United States.