The Health Ministry has also begun monitoring opioid prescriptions, as reported by Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza.
Frankowski's crisis staff meeting will address the alarming increase in fentanyl use, particularly among young people. The meeting will involve representatives from key services and institutions, including the police, fire department, and school board, aiming to coordinate a comprehensive response to the crisis.
The urgency comes after four deaths in Poland linked to fentanyl, including three in Żuromin (Mazowieckie Voivodeship) in February and one in Poznań late last year. Since the start of 2024, the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate has recorded 48 cases of fentanyl poisoning, according to Radio ZET.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid used in medical settings for severe pain relief, particularly in oncology, has found its way into the black market. It is often referred to as a "zombie drug" due to the peculiar behavior it induces in users and is said to be more addictive than heroin. Dealers sell it in patch form, with the extract administered intravenously, according to the Polish daily.
In response to the rising threat, the Health Ministry implemented a monitoring system on June 17 to oversee the issuance of opioid prescriptions, including fentanyl. "A special team will observe trends and immediately respond to irregularities through the chief pharmaceutical inspector and notify law enforcement authorities," the ministry explained.
The United States has been struggling with what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dubbed the “opioid crisis” since the 1990s. In 2022, 73,838 out of the 108,000 drug overdose deaths was related to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
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Source: IAR, PAP