In brief
The Trimbos Institute in the Netherlands has flagged a dangerous batch of ecstasy tablets that bear a likeness of Donald Trump. Lab tests found these pills contain unusually high concentrations of PMMA, a chemical related to MDMA that can cause overheating and death few hours after use. The institute urged users not to ingest the pills, noting no deaths have yet been reported but severe health risks are present. This is not the first time Trump‑themed pills have surfaced; a 2017 incident in Germany saw thousands of similar tablets seized. The alert comes amid reports that ecstasy remains a popular party drug in the Netherlands.
A Utrecht‑based Dutch institute for drug addiction and mental health has issued a red alert concerning ecstasy pills that are shaped like former US President Donald Trump. The pills were tested in August and found to contain a "very high" amount of PMMA, a chemical similar to MDMA.
The institute cautioned users that the substance can cause overheating and potentially fatal consequences. Users could experience nausea, increased heart rate and convulsions hours after ingesting the pills. No deaths or serious illnesses have yet been reported.
The warning comes amid a 2024 Dutch government report stating that ecstasy is still quite popular as a party drug, with a record 550,000 people taking it at least once in 2022.
This is not the first instance of Trump‑styled pills. In 2017 German police seized about 5,000 carrot‑coloured tablets shaped like the president’s head, which were allegedly promoted online with the slogan Trump makes partying great again.
