The government knew already in July that alcohol in sachets would appear in Polish stores and even then officials exchanged letters on this matter. It was one of these letters that was the basis for today’s dismissal of Piotr Jabłoński from the position of director of the National Center for Addiction Prevention – RMF FM journalists found out.
Piotr Jabłoński in the photo from 2022 /Albert Zawada /PAP
On Wednesday, Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna accepted the resignation of the director of the National Center for Addiction Prevention (KCPU), Piotr Jabłoński, and dismissed him from his position – the Ministry of Health announced on the X platform. As it turns out, this is the first dismissal for the scandal involving alcohol sold in sachets.
As one of the closest collaborators of the Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna told RMF FM journalists, the director of KCPU allegedly ignored the whole problem.
Back in July, Piotr Jabłoński received a question from other officials about whether such alcohol sachets would be legal, whether they would pose a threat to children and whether they could be blocked somehow.
His response – as we hear today – was considered insufficient because it did not contain sufficiently alarmist warnings or proposals for quick, specific, effective changes. He could have clearly said what threatens us, says one of the most important officials of the Ministry of Health to RMF FM.
That is why Piotr Jabłoński was held responsible for the entire scandal. For this reason – after a conversation with the management of the ministry – the director of the KCPU resigned, which was accepted by the Minister of Health.
Interestingly, similar complaints are directed against at least one other official of the Ministry of Health. However, this person no longer works in the ministry, so he cannot be dismissed.
The National Center for Addiction Prevention is a specialized agency of the Minister of Health. It was established in 2022 as a result of the merger of the National Bureau for Counteracting Drug Addiction and the State Agency for Solving Alcohol Problems.
One thing must be noted – the KCPU does not have legislative initiative. Officials (e.g. those of the Ministry of Health) are responsible for writing draft laws, and only now are they expected to prepare a bill banning the sale of alcohol in packaging resembling baby food.
This is the first dismissal for the scandal involving alcohol in sachets
The media has recently reported on alcohol sachets. She drew attention to the problem, among others: Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka, as well as Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, who noted on social media that vodka in sachets “is pure evil”; he declared that he would not give up on this matter.
In turn, according to senator Anna Górska from the Left, the product, which is sold in packaging resembling children’s mousses, may increase alcohol consumption among minors.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented on this information on Tuesday. “We will focus on finding an effective method to block this practice related to alcohol sachets,” he said, quoted in the entry of the prime minister’s office on the X platform.
Later that day, the Prime Minister published a recording on the X platform in which he said – referring to alcohol in sachets – that “this issue will not work here.”
The head of the Polish government said that he “has put all officials on the alert whose task is to find absolutely effective methods to counteract this practice.” He informed, among other things, that the Chief Sanitary Inspector was carrying out inspections, and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Czesław Siekierski, had been asked to prepare – “preferably by midnight today” – a regulation.
Moreover – as the Prime Minister said – “the Minister of Health will prepare an act for the future that will systemically eliminate this type of threats.” There is no room for any negotiations here, this type of threat must disappear, and the people who allowed it to happen can certainly expect consequences – emphasized Donald Tusk.
On the same day, OLV, a manufacturer of alcoholic beverage sachets under the Voodoo Monkey brand, announced that it was withdrawing the entire batch of products from the market and discontinuing their production.
Plot twist regarding alcohol sachets. Producer announces
On Wednesday, it was reported that the government has already prepared a draft regulation limiting the possibility of placing alcohol sachets on the market. The regulation was supposed to be published on Tuesday before midnight, but after the manufacturer of alcohol tubes decided to withdraw the product from stores, the government gave itself time to refine the regulations.
The government announces immediate consultations on the regulation – then the project will see the light of day and enter the legislative process.
The head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Jan Grabiec, explained that the government wants a systemic solution to the problem that will prevent producers from introducing alcohol to the market not only in sachets, but also in other packaging, which may happen. For this reason, the government wants to thoroughly refine the regulation.
We will submit them to regular consultations so that the law introduced is free from any loopholes and possibilities of abuse. Here we acted under pressure – the Prime Minister ordered actions that were to bring results within a few hours – said Jan Grabiec.
The Act on Counteracting Alcoholism will also be amended to prevent products such as alcohol sachets from being put into circulation in the future.
“We were operating under pressure.” The government responds to the issue of alcohol sachets
