Polish health ministry tightens penalties for designer drugs

As of Tuesday, the new law regulations relating to the trade of designer drugs become effective, the health ministry announced on Monday. The law is to tighten penalties for possession and trade of such drugs. The amendment to the Act on counteracting drug addiction and the State Sanitary Inspectorate is to limit the production and market for substitute drugs and new psychoactive substances, commonly referred to as designer drugs. The Ministry of Health, justifying the necessity to change the regulations, indicated that designer drugs pose a threat to health and life, especially to children and adolescents.