The number of poisonings is growing rapidly. It is already an epidemic

• The number of cases of drug poisoning is increasing at a very rapid pace.
• Doctors are concerned about the growing number of poisonings among children - in 2024 alone, there were as many as 92 such cases.
• The police confirm that access to psychoactive substances is now much easier than before, which further increases the scale of the threat.

As reported by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, 2,719 poisonings with psychoactive substances and other narcotics, psychotropic substances or medicines were recorded in 2024. This is 40 percent more than in 2023. "Dziennik Gazeta Prawna" reported that the previous year there were 1,698 poisonings. Last year's result approached the level of 2019, when 2,930 poisonings were recorded.

The daily noted that the epidemic is particularly affecting the Lubuskie and Małopolskie provinces, where the number of poisonings in relation to the general population is several times higher than the national average.

Particularly disturbing are the cases among children, who poisoned themselves with stimulants 92 times in 2024.

A 15-year-old girl was admitted to our ward with five different intoxicating substances, including alcohol, in her urine. What's worse, the girl admitted that it wasn't the first time she had taken psychoactive substances - Tomasz Szatkowski, head of the pediatrics department at the Multi-Specialist Provincial Hospital in Gorzów Wielkopolski, told "DGP".

In his opinion, such substances are too easily accessible not only to adults but also to children. - I don't know how they get them because they don't admit it. I suppose they can get them via the internet - he assessed.

The police also say that access to psychoactive substances is easier. The spokesman for the Central Bureau of Investigation, Krzysztof Wrześniowski, told "DGP" that:

• the amount of drugs seized by officers of the Central Police Investigation Bureau is increasing every year;
• a significant part are synthetic cathinones, e.g. mephedrone, clephedrone and clofedrone;
• the popularity of this type of product is due to the fact that it is relatively easy to produce and its retail price is not excessive.

- It can be assumed that the saturation of the black market with such substances may have an impact on their popularity and, consequently, on the number of poisonings - explained the policeman.