There has been a rise in the number of people reporting to first aid posts after taking the party drug ecstasy in recent years, according to new figures from the Trimbos institute.

The latest edition of the National Drug Monitor was published on Tuesday and shows there are also more serious incidents involving ecstasy than there were several years ago.

In 2009, for example, 7% of people reporting to first aid posts at festivals and dance parties had taken ecstasy. Last year, that had risen to 22%.

Last month, three people died at the Amsterdam Dance Event in what was thought to be ecstasy-related deaths.

The survey also shows just 4.2% of the Dutch population is a current cannabis user, while 0.5% take cocaine and 0.1% heroin and methadone. Some 23% of Dutch people aged 12 and over is a regular smoker.