The Polish government is is to introduce new legislation in an attempt to ban easily available, but potentially harmful, smart drugs.

In an attempt to limit the supply of the drugs, Health Minister Ewa Kopacz says a substance suspected of posing a health risk will be withdrawn from the market for 18 months to be analyzed by experts.

Last weekend, a 24-year-old died in a night club in Lodz, central Poland, with smart drugs found in his pocket. The autopsy proved inconclusive as to whether the drug was in anyway responsible for the death, however. Further toxicological tests are underway.

Smart drugs, or cognitive enhancers - also known as nootropics - often contain psychoactive substances which can be bought legally in specialist shops throughout Poland. In Warsaw, alone, there are several smart drug outlets open 24 hours a day.

Minister Kopacz says that it is difficult to protect consumers from possible harm as the drugs change name regularly. This makes drawing up laws prohibiting them difficult.

“One day these substances trade under the name “x” and the next day “z”. It’s is a problem with which Europe and the world has been unable to cope with,” she said.

Under Poland’s 2009 anti-drug law, trade in 17 psychoactive substances was banned in Poland. But many new smart drugs have appeared since.

The legislation will only apply to drugs legally available in shops. But students have taken smart drugs for years, in the belief that it makes them cram better for exams.

Some drugs, such as the popular Adderall, can easily be obtained on the internet, however. It is also increasingly popular for hard-working professionals to take the drugs, as well, which were originally deigned for medical conditions such as neurological disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Alzheimer‘s. (pg/kk)