A Dutch institute issues a 'Red Alert' over potentially lethal Trump-shaped ecstasy pills

The Trimbos Institute, a Dutch drug addiction and mental health organization, issued a Red Alert on Friday warning the public about potentially lethal ecstasy pills shaped like the head of U.S. President Donald Trump. Several of these pills have been turned in at testing centers across the country. The institute strongly advises against using these pills, citing their dangerous contents.

The pills feature a depiction of Trump's head on one side, with "NL" and "TRUMP" stamped into the surface on either side of a vertical line. One pill has a green face, while another is yellow. The Trimbos Institute cautioned that these pills contain a high concentration of PMMA, or para-methoxymethamphetamine, a chemical similar to MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy pills.

However, PMMA has a slower onset of effects than MDMA, which could lead users to take additional doses thinking the first pill was ineffective. This increased consumption heightens the risk of overdose and potentially fatal overheating.

Anniek Groothuis, a spokesperson for the Trimbos Institute, stated that there have been no reported cases of serious illness or fatalities among individuals who may have used the drug. They have not identified any victims with PMMA in their blood. Despite ecstasy being illegal in the Netherlands and widely used at clubs and music festivals, with an estimated 550,000 people consuming it annually, this is not the first instance of Trump-shaped ecstasy pills. In 2017, German authorities seized thousands of similarly designed orange pills.