In a new policy paper, the ICCL said recommendations made by the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use in favour of a health-led approach had yet to be taken up.

The organisation said the State continued to prosecute large numbers of drug users despite publicly supporting a health-centred response, describing the situation as “a contradictory policy failure”.

The paper calls for the repeal of section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, which criminalises possession of controlled drugs.

According to the ICCL, decriminalisation would allow authorities to focus more resources on tackling the sale and supply of drugs while increasing investment in treatment, healthcare and social services.

The organisation also argued that evidence from Ireland and abroad showed criminalisation did not reduce drug use and said prosecutions for “minor” drug offences were contributing to prison overcrowding.

Among its other proposals are expanding legislation governing supervised injecting facilities to allow mobile units and amending regulations to make naloxone – a treatment used to reverse opioid overdoses – available over the counter.

The ICCL stressed that decriminalisation was distinct from legalisation and said it was not advocating legalising controlled substances.