Hospital Clínic, a Barcelona hospital, has warned that increasing numbers of people are arriving at its emergency department after taking monkey dust, a highly addictive synthetic stimulant known locally as pols de mico. Its toxicology chief told 3CatInfo that the hospital has treated 130 cases so far in 2026.

That is nearly five times the 28 cases recorded in 2024. Dr Emilio Salgado, the hospital’s head of toxicology, said some patients need medical treatment and long-term psychiatric care after experiencing agitation or psychosis.

The figures Salgado gave to 3CatInfo show the increase at Hospital Clínic:

  • 2024: 28 emergency cases.
  • 2025: 49 emergency cases.
  • 2026 so far: 130 emergency cases.

Salgado described the change to 3CatInfo in an interview about the hospital’s experience:

“We are facing one of the most significant qualitative and quantitative changes I have experienced in the last 10 years.”

He said the substance’s potential was worrying and described its use as a significant public health problem.

How monkey dust is used

Monkey dust belongs to the synthetic cathinone group of drugs. It is usually smoked or injected and can increase pleasure during sex, according to 3CatInfo’s reporting.

Mireia Ventura, head of analysis at Energy Control, told 3CatInfo that the drug became more prominent in Catalonia at the end of 2025, when it was used as a substitute during a methamphetamine shortage. She said its use had continued after that.

Energy Control is a non-governmental organisation that analyses drugs at leisure venues, including nightclubs and music festivals. It provides information about their contents to people who decide to use them, with the aim of reducing harm.

Ventura said monkey dust has stimulant effects similar to methamphetamine, with a strong sexual stimulation component. She said it had recently been used in chemsex settings and was cheaper than cocaine.

Chemsex is the intentional use of psychoactive drugs to facilitate, intensify or prolong sex. Hospital Clínic says it occurs mainly among men who have sex with men and that encounters can last for many hours; 3CatInfo reported that some can last for days.

Risks and treatment

Salgado said monkey dust is normally taken alongside other substances and can cause dependence quickly. He added that significant episodes of agitation and psychosis can develop even when use is not particularly continuous.

In its guide to chemsex and health risks, Hospital Clínic says not everyone who engages in chemsex develops health problems or an addiction. It describes a range of experiences, from occasional use to situations involving greater risk and, in some cases, loss of control.

In a separate article published on 13th July 2026, the hospital’s clinical toxicology unit said new psychoactive substances present challenges for healthcare services because their composition can be uncertain, their effects difficult to predict and their use combined with other drugs. The unit said some may not be detected by standard rapid drug tests.

What it means for you

  • When: Since 2024, the number of cases has almost quintupled, with 130 admissions recorded by 2026.
  • Where: Hospital Clínic in Barcelona.

Sources: 3Cat, clinicbarcelona.org.