Dutch health body flags lethal Trump-shaped ecstasy pills

A Dutch addiction and mental health institute has issued a public warning about ecstasy pills shaped like the head of US President Donald Trump, saying they contain a potentially lethal chemical compound.

The Trimbos Institute, a respected national body, said several such tablets had recently been submitted to its network of drug-testing centres, where users can have substances checked before consumption. The institute released images showing the pills with Trump's face on one side and the letters 'NL' and 'Trump' stamped on the other, separated by a score line. The tablets seen so far are coloured green and yellow.

In a 'Red Alert' posted on its website and social media, the institute said the pills contain a high concentration of PMMA (para-methoxymethamfetamine), a substance chemically similar to MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy. However, PMMA acts more slowly than MDMA, which could lead users to take additional pills believing the first had no effect, sharply increasing the risk of overdose. The institute warned that consumption could lead to overheating and potentially fatal consequences.

"Absolutely do not use these pills," the institute said in its advisory.

A spokesperson, Anniek Groothuis, said no serious illness or death had yet been reported in connection with the pills. "We do not know of any victims where PMMA was found in their blood," she said.

While the production, sale, and use of ecstasy are illegal in the Netherlands, the drug remains widely consumed, particularly at clubs and festivals. A 2024 government report estimated that around 550,000 people used ecstasy in the country over a year.

This is not the first time Trump-themed tablets have surfaced. In 2017, German police seized thousands of orange pills shaped like the US president's head.