More people have reported using illegal drugs on a night out in the past year, according to the ninth nightlife survey by the Flemish Centre of Expertise for Alcohol and Other Drugs (VAD).
The proportion who used cannabis, ecstasy, poppers, designer drugs or ketamine in the past year is significantly higher than in 2015.
As in the general population, cannabis is the most popular illegal drug: four in ten party-goers used it in the past year. One in seven did so regularly, ranging from weekly to daily.
Regular use of other illegal drugs is rare: consistently less than 1%. The only exception to this is cocaine: 2.2% of respondents use it regularly.
According to the VAD, it is striking that more party-goers used ketamine in the past year: from 1% in 2003 to 12% in 2025.
Regular use remained at around 1%, but this low percentage should not be downplayed, as ketamine use can quickly lead to harmful health effects, according to the centre of expertise. Anyone who fails to stop using ketamine in time may suffer irreversible damage.
The use of ecstasy has also increased significantly, from 18.6% of partygoers in 2003 to 35.4% in 2025.
Well-informed choices
Alcohol, however, remains the most commonly used substance on a night out. Almost everyone who was surveyed drank alcohol in the previous year, and nearly six in ten drank alcohol at least once a week.
The VAD stressed that this alcohol consumption does not necessarily have to be problematic, but added that a quarter of these respondents are at high risk of developing alcohol-related problems.
It is also worrying that the youngest partygoers (aged 18–24) in particular frequently engage in binge drinking (consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time).
"These figures show that we must remain vigilant regarding the health risks of alcohol and drug use in nightlife," said Flemish Minister for Welfare Caroline Gennez (Vooruit).
"At the same time, the research confirms that prevention and harm reduction work: those who are well-informed are more likely to make informed choices and better manage risks," she said. "That is why we continue to invest in prevention, accessible support services and initiatives that prevent harm to health."
