Alcohol withdrawal is no joke and it can be deadly. I have gone through withdrawal a couple of times in my life and it is debilitating, even in less serious cases like mine. (I am surprised I didn't end up in the hospital the last time as I quit on my own without supervision. That was grade-A stupid.)
All political stuff aside, giving out a few drinks will save lives. However, the odds are astronomical that someone might actually use the program as a means to wean themselves off. Still, there is a chance that someone cleans themselves up and that is good enough for me.
The cost should be minimal, I would speculate, as there are countless forms of cheap alcohols out there.