Smart drug shops closed illegally?

“Last autumn the media reported alarmingly on the problem of over-the-counter smart drugs and legal highs. There were children who had taken the drugs in intensive care in hospitals. The Prime Minister announced radical measures”. In effect, almost 1400 shops selling the substances throughout Poland were closed by decision of the Sanitary Inspector. The owners of 600 appealed this, because in view of the law, the Inspector should have issued as many decisions as there were shops to close. Representatives of the institution are adamant that no regulations were broken. Still, while chemical tests proved that the substances on sale were harmful, there’s no certainty about the outcome of the lawsuits, notes the paper.

Good news for consumers in Dziennik Gazeta Prawna which writes that after six months of hikes prices are settling down until the end of the summer – and some may even fall. On average, writes the daily, food prices are expected to drop by 2%, what is caused by good forecasts on this year’s harvest. Fruit, vegetables and cereals are promising to be plentiful in Poland as well as in the entire European Union, notes the paper following Statistical Office data. But… good times will end with the autumn, writes Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reminding of the price of gas, transport, customs tariffs – all of which are set to rise and will impact on the overall costs of production.

Rzeczpospolita reports under the title of “Masuria like Egypt” that Polish tour operators are now offering all-inclusive holidays in the country, as well as in more exotic destinations. So far, only a selection of three-star-plus hotels have started to offer such packages, nonetheless interest from customers as well as other holiday establishments has been more than encouraging, though representatives of the tourist business say that the real results will not be known until the season is summed up next year. The only catch is the relatively high price of such holidays in Poland, writes Rzeczpospolita also adding that the domestic understanding of “all inclusive” is sometimes closer to bed and breakfast and might leave much to be desired.

The Warsaw section of Gazeta Wyborcza daily writes that on August 1, the anniversary of the Warsaw Rising of 1944, a Hercules transport plane will fly over the city at a quarter to 5 pm, the hour when the rising started, and drop leaflets calling people to stop and honour the sirens which will sound on the hour. The leaflets will also recall the contribution of airmen to the Rising and their flights with supplies to the capital as it struggled with the Nazi army. The flight on August 1 is being organized by the Warsaw Rising Museum and Poland’s airforce, by way of homage to all those who fought for free Poland.

And lastly, SuperExpress tabloid has some advice for summer flirting from… a Roman Catholic bishop. So, how does one pick up a girl, the proper Catholic way? For instance invite her for ice-cream and pay for everything. You can also ask her to rub your back with suntan oil. What shouldn’t you do, according to SuperExpress? Drink beer on a first date, say compliments which you don’t believe, and ask to be rubbed with oil if your intentions are only to seduce and abandon! (ek)