A media investigation by Finland’s public broadcaster Yle has sparked widespread discussion after traces of drugs were found in the Finnish Parliament’s restrooms during the evening of a Christmas party.
Journalists collected samples from several restrooms—both men’s and women’s—targeting surfaces frequently touched by visitors, such as door handles, toilet flush buttons, and soap dispensers.
Recent laboratory results revealed minimal traces of three drugs: amphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine.
Investigators noted that the parliament building hosts not only MPs and staff but also individuals subject to strict access controls. Random visitors unrelated to parliamentary activities are highly unlikely to be present in the building. The samples were taken from restrooms strategically chosen to exclude those typically used by observers of plenary sessions.
The findings suggest that individuals who either use drugs or unknowingly came into contact with drug residues were present in these restrooms. Kalle Kagerblom, a representative of the Measurlabs laboratory that conducted the analysis, emphasized that traces could theoretically originate from a person who previously touched a contaminated surface, such as on public transportation.
Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho expressed concern over the discovery, even if the concentrations were minimal, but acknowledged the limited options for addressing such incidents.
“I don’t think it would be acceptable to everyone if, for instance, trained sniffer dogs were stationed at the entrance to inspect every visitor,” Halla-aho remarked.
The Parliamentary Presidium is set to meet on Monday to discuss the investigation’s findings and formulate an official response.
