Pharmacists say people found in possession of small amounts of illegal drugs should be treated as "suffering from a health problem" and not as criminals.
The Irish Pharmacy Union is calling for addicts to be given the same level of care as people with other health issues.
The topic has received support from pharmacists from across the country, as they held their annual conference yesterday.
Dungarvan native and President of the IPU Darragh Connolly explains: "We think that the state should treat them first and foremost as patients and as people who have a health problem, rather than as criminals or as people who should go through the criminal justice system before they go through the healthcare system.
"There is lots of good examples around the world where pharmacists can help people to not get involved in drugs and to stay away from illicit drugs and also to help people with drugs problems.
"It has a wider knock-on effect into society for the better.
"It also helps the Gardaí to do their job better because they're not having to criminalise people who are caught with small amounts of illicit drugs.
"We certainly know that the problem we have with illicit drug taking is not going down so the criminal justice approach is not working."
