Almost 30,000 arrests were made for the offence last year.
A significant increase in the number of people arrested for drug offences is being described as 'unsurprising.'
Almost 30,000 arrests were made last year, compared to just over 19,300 in 2004.
Over 1,500 of those came in the Laois Offaly Garda Division, while officers in the Meath Westmeath Division made more than 1,100 arrests.
Already this year, Gardaí have made 14,203 arrests for drug-related crimes according to figures obtained by Aontú Leader and Meath West TD, Peadar Tóibín.
Jim Henson, of the Athlone Drug Awareness Group, says it's costing us a generation of young people:
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