Anyone following regional news this week could hardly miss it: Enschede has been labelled, more or less, the drug capital of the Netherlands. Based on wastewater analyses, researchers concluded that around 23 thousand lines of cocaine, along with a wide range of other drugs, are consumed every day. That raises the question: how does UT fit into that picture? Are students only burying their noses in books, or in other things as well?
Wastewater
Answering that question turns out not to be straightforward. According to André de Brouwer of Campus and Facility Management, wastewater from the UT campus is pumped to the regional water authority, where measurements are carried out. A report is then drawn up for waste disposal charges and forwarded to the Sustainability, Energy & Environment department. Those measurements, however, do not focus specifically on traces of drugs.
Even if they did, wastewater data would not provide a complete picture. Students may use drugs off campus, or use a toilet elsewhere. As a result, any traces found cannot be directly linked to UT.
Monitor substance use
Another way to get an indication is by looking at the 2025 Monitor Mental Health and Substance Use among Higher Education Students, the biennial wellbeing survey that also maps student drug use. Via Student Guidance & Well-being, U-Today obtained the most recent figures, specifically for UT. The survey was completed by around 980 students and showed the following.
Nearly thirty percent of respondents said they had used cannabis in the twelve months prior to the survey, with five percent doing so on a weekly basis. The second highest figure, eleven percent, concerned ecstasy use. Psychedelics and magic mushrooms followed, at seven and six percent respectively. Among designer drugs, 3-MMC was the most commonly reported, with six percent saying they had used it at least once. Cocaine use stood at three percent, which is lower than the national average of ten percent among students.
Compared with a similar survey conducted in 2023, no major differences were found.
Alcohol
Alcohol use was considerably higher. Eighty-four percent of respondents reported drinking alcohol in recent months. According to the monitor, thirty-four percent of students were at increased risk of an alcohol use disorder, while four percent were at severely increased risk. Sixty-one percent, however, said they experienced no negative effects from their alcohol consumption.
Overall, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about UT’s contribution to Enschede’s much discussed reputation as the ‘drug capital of the Netherlands’. The municipality of Enschede has indicated that it has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the impact of drug use. New measurements are planned for 2027.
