Nitazenes, Bath salts, fentanyl. It seems like every day, there’s some new drug hitting the streets. One of the most recent to get picked up by the news cycle is pink cocaine, a designer drug that first came to public attention during the trial against the music mogul Diddy.
Being new, information is still emerging about pink cocaine. We’ll tell you what’s currently known about this trendy club drug.
What Is Pink Cocaine?
Despite its name, pink cocaine isn’t actually cocaine. Or rather, doesn’t generally contain it. Instead, it’s actually a mix of various other drugs, generally ketamine and MDMA (ecstasy).
Pink cocaine is marketed mainly as a luxury drug to be used in the club circuit. It’s usually sold in powder form for people to snort. The drug originated in Colombia. Wealthy Colombian elites regularly vacationed in Europe and, around the turn of the millennium, started bringing the drug back to Colombia. In 2012, it started rising in popularity there after a Colombian news outlet reported it was the drug of choice for the wealthy.
This proved to be a marketing boon for the drug, fueling its popularity in the country as a symbol of high status. It’s since been reported in major cities across Latin America, Europe, and the United States.
Pink cocaine goes by several street names, including tucibi, tusi, 2C, and pink powder. These first two names are a play on the term “2C,” which refers to the chemical structure 2C-B, which is found in many psychedelics. The drug is called pink cocaine because the powder is dyed pink as a way to make it stand out.
While tusi is meant to allude to 2C-B, this appears to be mainly a marketing ploy. A study done in Spain found that 76% of samples contained ketamine, with the remainder being varying degrees of combined MDMA, ketamine, and caffeine; only a handful were actually found to contain 2C-B.
Effects of pink cocaine vary but can include feelings of euphoria, increased sensory perception, and hallucinations, along with typical stimulant effects like increased energy and alertness. Since the composition of the drug can vary, the risks can include severe health complications, including overdose.
What Drugs Are in Pink Cocaine?
Pink cocaine is typically a mixture of various different drugs. Aside from MDMA (ecstasy) or ketamine, it can also contain amphetamines, LSD, other hallucinogens, and, occasionally, actual cocaine. One study out of Colombia even found that of 1,507 samples examined, 21% contained benzodiazepines.
Aside from drugs, various cutting agents like caffeine, sugar, or even toxic chemicals can also sometimes be found, which are used to dilute or bulk up the product.
Because there’s no standard formula for pink cocaine, and it’s still relatively unknown, people who use it risk consuming dangerous or unexpected substances. This can lead to unforeseen and severe health consequences.
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Call 866-881-1184What Are the Side Effects of Pink Cocaine?
The side effects of pink cocaine can be hard to predict, given there is no standard formula. Considering most of the time, it will contain ketamine and/or MDMA, side effects associated with those drugs can reasonably be expected.
Physical side effects of pink cocaine may include:
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure: Stimulants like MDMA or amphetamines can cause a rapid heart rate and elevate blood pressure, potentially leading to heart problems.
- Nausea and vomiting: Ketamine and other substances often found in pink cocaine can cause nausea, especially in higher doses.
- Excessive sweating: A typical side effect of stimulant drugs.
- Dilated pupils: Common with drugs like MDMA, stimulants, and hallucinogens.
- Muscle tension and jaw clenching: Stimulants, especially MDMA, can cause muscle tightening and involuntary jaw clenching.
- Insomnia: The stimulant effects can make it difficult to sleep.
- Dehydration and overheating: Users can become dehydrated due to excessive sweating and increased body temperature.
Psychologically, pink cocaine has the following negative effects:
- Euphoria: Users feel positive bodily feelings and states of mind, usually due to the presence of MDMA or other stimulants.
- Hallucinations: This is almost always present, especially if ketamine is involved.
- Anxiety and paranoia: Users of pink cocaine can experience mania, anxiety, and paranoia.
- Confusion or dissociation: Ketamine has the ability to cause the individual to feel detached from themselves and their environment.
- Mood swings: A person taking pink cocaine may rapidly shift between different states of mind or feel emotions more strongly than normal.
- Depression or anxiety during comedown: After the high, a “comedown” can occur, leaving users feeling depressed, anxious, or emotionally drained.
- Memory loss or impaired cognition: Particularly due to ketamine or excessive use of MDMA.
Is Pink Cocaine Dangerous?
Yes, pink cocaine usage can lead to a variety of issues. Taking too much can lead to overdose, especially if the drug is comprised of different combinations of drugs than what the user was expecting. Amphetamine-heavy formulations of pink cocaine could lead to heart attacks, especially if mixed with caffeine or other stimulants.
Ketamine is sometimes used as a sedative, so given that tusi is a mixture of that and other drugs (like benzodiazepines), it could cause respiratory failure.
Serotonin syndrome could also occur. This is a well-known withdrawal effect of MDMA in which there is an excess of serotonin in the brain. Symptoms can include high fever, agitation, muscle rigidity, tremors, and seizures, the last of which can be life-threatening.
Finally, of course, there is the potential for addiction and dependence. Some of the substances found in pink cocaine, particularly stimulants like MDMA, can lead to addiction with repeated use.
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Check Your CoveragePink Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Given it’s a combination of multiple drugs, pink cocaine addiction treatment means using treatments for multiple drugs. Research on ketamine use disorder, for instance, indicates that long-acting injectable antipsychotics may prove effective for those with ketamine use disorder. Oxygen therapy can be brought to bear to counter ketamine’s depressive effects on breathing.
To deal with serotonin syndrome, sedatives like benzodiazepines can be used to calm agitation, reduce anxiety, or control seizures. Special medications (known as serotonin agonists) can also be used in severe cases.
Therapy and counseling approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people recognize and change negative thought patterns that may be driving their addiction.
Pink Cocaine Detox
Detoxing from “pink cocaine” requires a comprehensive approach due to the uncertainty of its composition and effects. Detox involves safely clearing the drug from the body and managing withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision.
Given the unpredictable nature of the drug, an inpatient detox facility is often the best choice here. Medical staff can monitor and treat any serious symptoms, such as seizures, hallucinations, or heart issues. Medications like sedatives can be used to manage seizures, heart rate, and anxiety.
Residential Pink Cocaine Addiction Treatment
This is where individuals live in facilities and take part in structured programs to overcome their pink cocaine addiction. It’s usually the first step in the levels of care for treatment.
Upon entering the facility, the patient goes through a medical assessment to determine the extent of their addiction. Their overall physical and psychological health is evaluated, and any co-occurring mental health disorders are identified.
Based on the results of the evaluation, a specialist then creates a comprehensive treatment plan for that person, individualized for their needs.
Outpatient Pink Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Outpatient treatment for pink cocaine addiction is a flexible approach that allows people to get treatment part-time so they can continue their daily responsibilities. They’ll attend work or school while receiving therapy for their pink cocaine addiction recovery.
This level of care requires the least amount of attendance at a facility.
Find Help for Pink Cocaine Abuse
If you or someone you know is struggling with pink cocaine abuse, it’s important to seek professional help as soon as possible. If you call us at 866-881-1184 or contact us here, our highly trained clinical intake team can assist you with any questions you may have.
- Video Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex-girlfriend accused of transporting pink cocaine to him – ABC News (go.com)
- Tusi: a new ketamine concoction complicating the drug landscape – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Informe_SASEC-2023.pdf (echelecabeza.com)
- Drugs: ‘Pink cocaine’: The expensive and trendy drug is neither cocaine nor high quality | Spain | EL PAÍS English (elpais.com)
- Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Treatment in Schizophrenia and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review – PubMed (nih.gov)
