[Huck]

what is the government's interest here

Public health--preventing the spread of disease. Not saying it's a smart policy, but that is the rationale.

[robertpaulsen]

But it does nothing to stop the overdosing (due to questionable purity) or the crimes committed to obtain the heroin.

That will be solved by Phase II (I predict) where the addicts are provided free heroin.

The Swiss program provided heroin as did the Dutch program.