Police warn of dopalacze: risk can be fatal

In the Zachodniopomorskie region, a series of recent emergencies has put services and hospitals on alert. Several people required hospital treatment because their condition indicated the use of substances described as particularly dangerous to health and life—often referred to in everyday language as “dopalacze.” The term commonly covers new psychoactive substances whose composition is usually impossible for consumers to verify—and whose effects can become unpredictable even in very small doses.

Police are using the latest incidents to issue a stark warning. Behind the business, they say, are producers and sellers focused on one thing above all: profit. The fact that buyers’ health and lives are at stake is knowingly accepted by those offering the products. For those affected and their families, the risk is not theoretical but immediate—any use can lead to severe poisoning, lasting harm, or even death.

What is meant by “dopalacze”

In Poland, “dopalacze” often refers to so-called legal highs—synthetic or semi-synthetic substances that manufacturers repeatedly alter at the chemical level. The aim is to evade controls and push new products onto the market before they are clearly captured by legal lists. This creates a double uncertainty for consumers: not only is the dosage hard to assess, but the substance itself can vary from batch to batch.

In addition, many of these substances are sold as pills, powders, or carrier materials soaked with liquids. Packaging may look professional at first glance, yet it often contains no reliable ingredient information. Anyone consuming them therefore frequently has no idea what is actually acting in the body—or how strong it is.

Why the risk is so high

The recent hospitalizations are a clear sign that these are not harmless experiments. New psychoactive substances can heavily affect the cardiovascular system, breathing, and the nervous system. Effects can range from severe agitation and panic to impaired consciousness and seizures. Acute circulatory collapse, cardiac arrhythmias, or dangerous overheating are also possible—especially when substances are combined or the real concentration is far higher than expected.

Police therefore stress: even a single use can be fatal. The fact that people are repeatedly admitted to hospital in life-threatening condition after taking such substances shows how little control users have over the risk. This is even more true when products are offered in seemingly familiar forms, such as a “pill” or “blend” advertised online.

Online sales: fast, anonymous, deceptive

A central point of the warning concerns how these substances are sold. Police believe trafficking often happens via the internet. Digital distribution offers sellers reach and anonymity—and at the same time makes it easier to target new groups. Orders can be processed quickly, shipping routes can be obscured, and communication shifts through changing profiles, messengers, or platforms.

This apparent “normality” of buying online can create the impression of controlled products. In reality, the opposite is true: origin, composition, and purity are unclear. Anyone purchasing “unknown substances” online bears the full risk alone—medically and legally.

Typical warning signs

• Unclear or missing ingredient information, fantasy names, and changing product labels
• Marketing claims like “legal,” “safe,” or “harmless” without verifiable evidence
• Extremely low prices or conspicuous discounts for larger quantities
• Sales via short-lived profiles, anonymous shops, or encrypted chats

Police appeal: don’t buy, don’t try

The police message is unambiguous: do not buy unknown substances, do not try supposedly “new” products, do not experiment. The appeal is addressed to everyone—especially people who might be swayed by curiosity, peer pressure, or online promises. The risk, they say, is impossible to calculate because neither dosage nor active ingredient can be known with certainty.

At the same time, the warning makes clear that the trade follows a criminal logic. Sellers exploit their customers’ uncertainty and focus on quick profit. Hospitalizations—or worse outcomes—do not change the business model; they are simply accepted.

If it happens: act fast

Even though the statement focuses on prevention, a clear response chain matters if someone shows symptoms after use. In acute situations, every minute counts. Anyone noticing signs of poisoning—such as severe confusion, breathing problems, seizures, loss of consciousness, or intense heart complaints—should seek medical help immediately. Rapid treatment can be crucial because the condition may deteriorate quickly.

The recent cases in Zachodniopomorskie show how quickly a risky choice can turn into a serious emergency. The police warning is therefore meant to raise the threshold for “trying it once” and to make clear that, with these substances, it is not about a thrill but about real danger to life.