Introduction

At the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, Warsaw was one of the main centres of spreading of psychoactive substance use in the Polish People’s Republic. In the course of our historical research, the criminal context of drug addiction was discussed. Furthermore, the study seeks to estimate the scale of the phenomenon, outlining the characteristics of the affected communities and listing the measures undertaken for tackling the problem.

Material and methods

The research method adopt­ed is based primarily on the analysis of written sources typical of historical research. This article organises the current knowledge about the discussed issue, verifies some of the previous findings and presents new information that has come to light on the basis of the subject literature, press material and not-so-widely used archival content (e.g., mili­tia reports, crime statistics and correspondence).

Results

Psychoactive substance use in Warsaw at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s was perceived by the authorities and society primarily as a crimi­nal problem. At the time, politicians, media and the Citizen’s Militia linked this problem with the spread in Warsaw of youth-movement behaviours from the West like, above all, the hippie sub-culture. However, this was not the only source of increased interest in intoxicating substances among the capital’s youth; psychosocial factors like the existential problems, conflict with parents and feelings of loneliness and rejection should also be mentioned. Between 1968 and 1975, Warsaw drug addicts used the entire spectrum of intoxicating substances based mainly on medications. The measures undertaken to tackle the trend were usually repressive in nature.

Discussion

In the course of the research, most of the previously accepted assumptions regarding the discussed phenomenon were confirmed, and knowledge was refined based on the analysis of militia materials. As shown, psychoactive substance use in Warsaw had only a weak connection with the hippie movement. It was shown that the environment of people using these substances was diverse in terms of social origin, so the problem of drug addiction did not only concern the lower layers of society. Illegal ways of obtaining pharmaceuticals used for intoxication (including counterfeiting prescriptions and medical stamps and pharmacy break-ins), as well as the activities of the Citizen’s Militia and the Security Service aimed at drug crime were described in a broader manner than in the literature on the subject.

Conclusions

The period between 1968 and 1975 witnessed the first wave of growth in drug use. The Citizen Militia’s and Security Service’s relative success in tackling the trend led to a lack of social vigilance, resulting in the belated reaction to the resurgence of drug problems in the following years. Over the years, drug addiction began to develop from a marginal phenomenon into a broader social problem.