Trump-shaped ecstasy pills are potentially lethal, Dutch institute says

A Dutch drug addiction and mental health institute has issued a warning about potentially lethal ecstasy pills that are shaped to resemble the head of President Trump. The Trimbos Institute stated that several of these pills have been turned in at centers across the Netherlands where drug samples are tested before consumption. In a Red Alert notice posted on their website and social media, the institute cautioned that these pills contain a high concentration of a chemical called PMMA, or para-methoxymethamfetamine.

PMMA is chemically similar to MDMA, the primary active ingredient in ecstasy pills. The Trimbos Institute has warned that consuming such contaminated ecstasy could be fatal. Users may not immediately feel the drug's effects, which could lead to overconsumption and dangerous side effects such as overheating, epileptic seizures, loss of consciousness, or heart problems.

The institute urged users not to use these pills, which feature a depiction of Mr. Trump's head on one side and his name stamped on the other, with one pill having a green face and another yellow. The institute is currently unaware of any victims who have tested positive for PMMA in their system. While the production, sale, and use of ecstasy are illegal in the Netherlands, the substance remains widely used, especially at clubs and music festivals.

According to a 2024 government report, approximately 550,000 people in the Netherlands took ecstasy in a single year. The Trimbos Institute conducts drug testing through a network of 12 participating institutions and 34 testing locations across the Netherlands.