The Maori Council says expecting change to drug prosecutions to have a real impact is a pipe dream

The Misuse of Drugs Amendment bill was passed in August, allowing police to refer drug users to a heath provider, rather than prosecuting.

New figures show just under four-hundred people have been given a health referral, with no change to the number of drug prosecutions since the Bill was passed.

Executive chairperson Matthew Tukaki says the system isn't serving the people it was meant to help.

He says it's nice to think people are being referred to these services, but they're not.

He says there's also a shortage of services that specifically target drug abuse.