Sure, Ibiza's nightlife powers an appreciable slice of Spain's tourism industry—but the island's emergency medical system is feeling the hangover. Ambulance crews are now responding to club-related drug incidents so frequently—sometimes multiple times a night at the same venue, they say—that the local health technicians union is warning the public that the local ambulance service is close to a breaking point. "There are days when we're so busy you can barely even stop to eat or have a coffee," a local ambulance technician tells the New York Times.
During the height of the summer season, as much as a third of all emergency requests for an ambulance are linked to nightclubs, the Guardian reports. Workers say the situation leaves the island's 160,000 residents waiting longer for ambulances. Ibiza's club scene has long had a reputation for drug use. But Jose Manuel Maroto, a rep for the union, sees a change at play: He tells the Times that rising prices at so-called "superclubs"—where entry can top $100 and drinks can reach close to $30—are pushing more partygoers to trade booze for drugs.
Emergency responders aren't just complaining—they're pushing for change. The law requires that Ibiza's nightclubs have nurses and other medical workers on staff. The union wants that requirement expanded to include private ambulance services (the Guardian notes that just one major club engages such a service). "It's unfair that nightclubs that earn millions of dollars per year are dumping this problem on the public health system," Maroto tells the Times. "In the end, the bill is paid by residents on the island." Some of the island's clubs are pushing back, saying their records show a limited number of public ambulance calls.
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