A Dutch government commission set up to look at MDMA, the active ingredient in the party drug ecstasy, has concluded the drug is “relatively safe”, with users experiencing little long-term health damage and a low incidence of addiction.

“Very occasionally a user does die, which is very worrying,” commission chairwoman Brigit Toebes told the AD in an interview. “We recommend better research into the cause of death, because we want to know whether people die from MDMA in combination with other substances or purely from MDMA.”

In addition, she said, users need to know what they are taking. “The usual dosage is a bit higher than what an average user should ideally take at about 136 milligrams, while between 80 and 100 milligrams is better.”

Despite the relative safety of the drug, the commission has recommended MDMA remains on the government’s official list of hard drugs alongside heroin and cocaine because of its links to organised crime.

“Some 90% to 99% of the MDMA produced in the Netherlands is exported to other countries,” Toebes said. And if you move it to the soft drugs list “it will become more attractive for criminals to produce MDMA here. Crime is really a big problem.”

The commission does, however, back more research into the use of MDMA to help patients suffering from post-traumatic stress.

“Detailed research has been carried out in the US and results are very promising,” Toebes said. “More than half the patients were cured of their PTSS at the end of the treatment.” The drug has not yet been cleared for medical use in the US.

Dutch News reported earlier this year about the impact the ecstasy production industry is having on the environment.