The Netherlands Drug Situation 2010 - Trimbos-instituut

Table 10.3.2: Content of tablets sold as ‘ecstasy’ based on laboratory analysesNumber of tabletsanalysedOnly MDMA-likesubstances2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010*1985 2140 2523 2319 2183 2181 118691.90% 88.60% 83.20% 84.60% 70.50% 70.75% 82.33%(Meth)amphetamine 0.80% 4.00% 1.80% 0.70% 1.10% 4.91% 3.04%MDMA-like substances and(meth)amphetamine0.30% 1.40% 2.20% 1.30% 1.40% 1.28% 1.26%Others ** 4.50% 0.30% 4.50% 3.80% 7.40% 1.40% 1.43%Miscellaneous*** 2.50% 5.70% 8.30% 9.60% 17.70% 21.66% 11.94%* Data for 2010 are from January-June. ** Category 'others' may include samples with MDMA and for examplecaffeine and other pharmacologically active non-scheduled substances. ***In 2009: The category miscellaneousconsisted mainly of mCPP (11.60%) and mephedrone (7.4%). Source: DIMSTM, Trimbos Institute.The concentration of MDMA in tablets has always shown a wide variation. Excludingecstasy tablets without any trace of MDMA, in 2009 18% of the ecstasy tablets containedbetween 1 and 35 mg MDMA, 40% contained between 36 and 70 mg and,32% between 71 and 105 mg and 11% contained a high dose of over 106 mg.The average amount of MDMA in tablets (containing at least 1 mg MDMA?) stronglydecreased from 81 mg in 2008 to 66 mg in 2009. In 2010, the averaged dose increasedagain and even exceeded levels above those in previous years (see figure10.3.1). Note, however, that the data for 2010 concern averages for relatively shorttime periods.These developments (% of ecstasy tablets containing no MDMA like substance, decreasingconcentration of MDMA) point at a temporarily reduced availability of MDMAin 2009, with clear indications of a restoration of the ecstasy market in 2010.Figure 10.3.1: Average concentration of MDMA in tablets sold as ecstasy** in tablets containing at least 1 mg MDMA. Source: DIMS TM .150