Drug abuse in Poland

The abuse of drugs in Poland, a lesser problem than that of alcoholism, has only recently become a subject of interest. Although at present it is not of crucial importance in the pathology of social life, it may still have serious effects on the individual and society. This paper discusses the results of several surveys carried out by different researchers in Poland to assess different aspects of the drug abuse phenomenon. Drug abuse patterns in Poland, as in other countries, change rapidly. Therefore, yesterday's situation may not be considered as valid today. The first part of this article presents some of the characteristics that were observed since 1968, when the phenomenon appeared, up to 1976. The second part describes the provisions of the Polish criminal law to fight drug abuse, and envisages some measures to better control this phenomenon in the future.