Boom (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The NICC found rising drug use during tests on the first day of Tomorrowland, where over 400,000 attend. Common drugs include MDMA, cannabis, and ketamine. A mobile lab aids testing.
As VRT News reported, the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC) is warning again about the growing problem of drug use at big festivals like Tomorrowland in Boom, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium.
Even though using or carrying drugs is not allowed, police still find and take away many illegal substances at the event every year. To deal with this better, the NICC has placed a mobile lab at the festival for the second year in a row. This lab lets experts quickly test the drugs that are found.
Nathalie Meert, who leads the department, says the main goal is to know exactly what kinds of drugs are being used. That way, medical staff on-site can give better help if someone becomes sick from drugs.
On the first day of the festival, the most common drugs were cannabis, different types of MDMA (like tablets and powder), ketamine, cocaine, and synthetic drugs called cathinones. These results match what police normally find across Belgium.
“We’re seeing more combination preparations, where different types of drugs are mixed in a single powder,”
Meert explains.
“These are often drugs with very different effects: for example, effects like MDMA combined with strong hallucinogenic substances. That can be potentially dangerous.”
What did the NICC discover about drug risks at Tomorrowland?
The NICC found 3 risky drug cases at the festival. 2 of them were pink powders made from a mix of different drugs. These mixes are unsafe because no one knows how they will affect the body. The 3rd case was an ecstasy pill that did not have MDMA inside. It had a different drug that could cause harm.
The NICC is worried about the changing drug market at festivals like Tomorrowland. Nathalie Meert says people can no longer tell what a drug is just by how it looks. A white powder might not be cocaine or speed but something else, like a new and stronger drug.
The NICC did not find any pills with deadly amounts on the last day of testing. But they did notice that many people carry more than one kind of drug. Some also drink alcohol with it. This mix can be very dangerous.
“The drug market has evolved in recent years to the point where a white powder no longer necessarily means cocaine or amphetamine, but can be a wide variety of drugs,”
warns Meert.
“People often don’t know exactly what they’re taking.”
An incident happened during Tomorrowland. A 35-year-old woman from Canada died, and officials believe drugs may be the cause. The Antwerp public prosecutor said there are strong signs her death is linked to drug use, but it is not fully confirmed yet. Experts are doing tests to find out what substances she took and if they caused her death.
Kato Belmans from the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office says that anyone caught selling drugs will be arrested and taken to the police zone at Tomorrowland. He mentioned that they will later appear in special hearings about the festival, planned for October 2025, and December 2025.
People found using drugs are held for a short time and get a fine right away. The prosecutor’s office says it is not possible to fine everyone who uses drugs. They also say it helps that the drugs are tested quickly at the festival site.
Tomorrowland is one of the biggest music festivals in the world. It takes place every year in Boom, Belgium, and brings in huge crowds. People come from all over to enjoy the music and party. But the festival also has problems with drug use. Many visitors still bring or use illegal drugs.
Drug problems have happened at Tomorrowland before. In past years, some people got sick and had to go to the hospital after using drugs. A few people also died, and drugs may have been the reason. Because of this, the police and drug experts are working harder now.
They tell people about the risks of drugs. They also check more carefully and test drugs at the festival. Tomorrowland brings over 400,000 people from many places. That is why police and health workers keep a close watch during the event.
