The Trimbos Institute has noticed that ecstasy pills are getting stronger and more dangerous. The latest research results from the institute confirm the image that has been striking for some time.
“It is a worrying development that has been going on for some time,” says Daan van der Gouwe of the Trimbos. The institute has been testing drugs used in the Netherlands for years. The pills also became stronger in 2018. The amount of MDMA, the active substance in ecstasy pills, has increased further.
Three times the MDMA
It is a development that has been going on for years and will continue. And so the Trimbos sometimes finds extremely strong pills. “During testing this year, we found a pill containing almost 300 milligrams of MDMA,” says Van der Gouwe alarmed. “By comparison, a pill contained an average of about 100 milligrams 10 years ago.”
That time is now far behind us. “Nowadays, the lion’s share of the pills contains more than 150 micrograms anyway. But those stronger pills are also more dangerous.”
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This year, the Trimbos Institute again tested thousands of ecstasy pills. The results at a glance.
4.10 euros for a pill
The Netherlands is one of the best in the world when it comes to ecstasy production. ‘Our’ pills are distributed all over the world, but are also widely used domestically. The drug is by far the most popular in nightlife. More than 1 million people once took a pill and 130,000 did so in the past month, it appears a recent report from Jellinek.
A lot of money can be made with the production of ecstasy, which creates fierce competition between producers. This is evident from the price of a pill. On average, you now pay 4.10 euros per pill, says the Trimbos, comparable to the price of a specialty beer.
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Ecstasy, who actually uses it?
Cut-throat competition
The fact that the pills are getting stronger has everything to do with that competition. “What we see is that the variety has increased enormously, both in the shape and color of the pill, but especially in the strength. Manufacturers want to distinguish themselves with stronger pills, because that leads to more sales success.”
The trend towards heavier pills initially led to an increase in mild and severe acute health problems, especially at large-scale events. However, this increase has not continued in recent years. It is impossible to say whether the pills are of better purity or whether users are more alert.
At least 15 deaths per year
However, ecstasy pills are by no means harmless. Heavier pills increase the risk of health problems. “The higher the dose, the greater the risk. The most dangerous is the temperature rise of your body. If it rises to 41 or 42 degrees Celsius, you can die.”
Every year, an estimated 15 to 20 deaths in our country are caused by the use of ecstasy. “And that is probably underreporting,” says Van der Gouwe, “because it is not registered centrally. In addition, not every region and every medical service registers the cause of death equally well.” In addition to the risk of death, strong pills can make you unwell, there is a risk of brain damage and you can experience anxious moments.
To find out the composition of pills, you can go on 31 locations have your drugs tested throughout the Netherlands. You can also get information about drug use there. In the past year, the Trimbos tested more than 12,000 drug samples via these locations. Most of them, more than 60 percent, were ecstasy samples. The rest was mainly cocaine, speed and other synthetic drugs.
Testing at dance parties, as was often the case in the past, is no longer allowed. But that is not necessary at all, says Van der Gouwe. “We know from those samples what exactly is in circulation. Moreover, we can talk to users at the 31 test locations. That was less successful at those parties, because people were already in a festive mood.”
