An empty hallway and the plenary hall of the Parliament House in Helsinki. Yle: Drug traces found in Parliament toilets during Christmas party. LEHTIKUVA
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Traces of illegal drugs were discovered in restroom samples taken during a pre-Christmas party at the Finnish Parliament, according to an investigation by national broadcaster Yle. The findings revealed the presence of amphetamines, MDMA (ecstasy), and cocaine in three restroom stalls.
Yle collected samples from six restroom stalls in Parliament’s main building during the festivities, attended by MPs, parliamentary staff, ministerial aides, and journalists.
The traces were confirmed through laboratory analysis by Measurlabs, whose operations director, Kalle Lagerblom, described the results as “highly reliable,” though the drug remnants were minimal.
“While the residues are small, they are clear indications of drug presence,” Lagerblom explained.
Samples were collected from restrooms on two floors, but drug traces were only found in restrooms on the fifth floor, where parliamentary groups were hosting their annual Christmas parties. The third-floor restrooms tested clean.
The substances identified included amphetamines, MDMA, and cocaine, which Lagerblom noted could have originated from direct use or indirect contact, such as transfer from clothing or human fluids.
“It’s impossible to determine whether the drugs were used on-site or brought in inadvertently,” Lagerblom added.
The findings have sparked debate among Finnish lawmakers and the public. Parliamentary Speaker Jussi Halla-aho described the discovery as “unfortunate and pathetic,” linking it to the broader societal trend of increasing recreational drug use.
“Parliament is a workplace made up of people from society, so it is unsurprising that societal phenomena, including drug use, would be reflected here,” Halla-aho said. He added that addressing the issue would be challenging, dismissing the idea of drastic measures such as drug-sniffing dogs at Parliament’s entrances.
Other political leaders expressed dismay but emphasised that the
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
