Dilip Kuner
THE famous nightclub scene on Ibiza is spiraling out of control, with ambulance crews claiming they are being flooded with calls for drug-related incidents, leading to fears that the island’s public healthcare system could soon collapse under the strain.
For ambulance technician Pablo Roig, the situation is getting out of hand. “Some nights, we barely have time to grab a bite or even drink a coffee,” Roig, 47, told the New York Times. Ambulances on Ibiza now rush to nightclubs multiple times a night, with drug overdoses becoming a regular occurrence. Around 25% of all emergency calls during peak season now come from nightclubs, often involving foreign tourists.
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José Manuel Maroto, a union representative, claims that some clubs are a daily source of overdose calls. “We go to the same places every night – it’s relentless.”
The situation is worsened by the island’s massive influx of tourists. Ibiza, which welcomed 3.3 million visitors last year, is becoming ground zero for a drug epidemic. With entry fees to clubs reaching €100 and drinks costing up to €25, many partygoers are turning to cheap, experimental drugs like ketamine and ecstasy to keep the party going.
Although drugs are illegal, their use is widespread. Emergency calls to clubs often involve unconscious patrons, and responding can take up to 90 minutes, with many cases involving cardiac arrest risk.
Tensions run high, as Roig noted, “Sometimes we face verbal and physical aggression from partygoers.”
To ease the pressure, the union has called for clubs to hire private ambulances. “It’s unfair that nightclubs making millions leave the burden on the public system,” Maroto said.
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