A high-powered group of 25 individuals and organisations say its time for the Misuse of Drugs Act to be overhauled.
The group has signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for drug use to be treated as a health and social issue.
Among the signatories are the Medical Association, Māori health providers, and the Mental Health Foundation - who say the 1975 act is built around criminalising all drug offences and is fundamentally outdated.
Sarah Helm is executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation.
She spoke to Susie Ferguson.
