Pink cocaine has become increasingly popular for its bright pink color and stimulating, mind-altering effects, particularly in nightlife and party scenes. Despite its vibrant appearance, pink cocaine is a dangerous synthetic drug that contains mixtures of ketamine, xylazine, fentanyl, MDMA, and methamphetamine.
Pink cocaine’s side effects can be life-threatening, leading to long-term physical and psychological health risks, including overdose.
Understanding Pink Cocaine: What Is Tusi?
Pink cocaine, also known as “tusi” or formerly “2C-B”, is a synthetic mixture of psychedelic substances, including MDMA, ketamine, and xylazine. The original ingredient in tusi was 2C-B, a psychedelic phenylethylamine that eventually became more difficult to acquire. This influenced drug suppliers to switch to a powdered mixture of psychedelics that they dyed pink and sold as a drug cocktail, also known as pink cocaine.
2C-B (2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine), a psychoactive substance with hallucinogenic and stimulant properties, was initially synthesized in the 1970s. Tusi (2C-B) was created for medical purposes and later classified as a Schedule II, alongside fentanyl, morphine, and methamphetamine. Pink cocaine rarely contains 2C-B anymore due to phenylethylamine becoming more challenging to obtain.
Does Pink Cocaine Have Cocaine In It?
Pink cocaine has been gaining popularity in recent years within nightclubs and party scenes for its hallucinogenic effects. Due to its name, many users assume the drug has cocaine in it, but more often than not, it doesn’t. Every batch of pink cocaine tends to have different mixtures of dangerous, mind-altering substances in it.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has tested the following combinations in pink cocaine powders:
- Ketamine and MDMA
- MDMA, ketamine, and methamphetamine
- Fentanyl and cocaine
- Xylazine and fentanyl
The inconsistent composition of pink cocaine powders heightens the potential side effects and health risks. In addition to these mind-altering substances being illegal, you should never take something if you are unsure of the drug’s contents.
The Side Effects of Pink Cocaine
Pink cocaine’s side effects can range from mild to severe, depending on the drug’s contents and dosage. The potential side effects of pink cocaine are similar to those of stimulants and hallucinogens, including:
- Confusion and agitation
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Auditory and visual hallucinations
- Sweating and chills
- Dilated pupils
- Dehydration and increased body temperature
- Jaw-clenching and teeth-grinding
- Nausea and vomiting
- Euphoria
- Seizures
- Overdose
These effects depend on various factors, including the drug composition, dosage, the individual’s drug tolerance, and body chemistry. The pink color comes from added dyes, often used to increase the drug’s appeal in nightclubs, festivals, and raves.
The Risks and Dangers of Pink Cocaine
Pink cocaine, as a club drug, has psychoactive properties and produces a mix of hallucinogenic and stimulant effects. Depending on the drug mixture, such as MDMA and ketamine or fentanyl and xylazine, pink cocaine can be deadly.
Pink cocaine’s risks and dangers can lead to severe physical health risks, mental health issues, legal consequences, overdose, and death. With long-term use, users may develop a dependency, persistent anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.
Physical Health Consequences
Pink cocaine’s effects can quickly escalate from feelings of euphoria and empathy to severe confusion, nausea, and high blood pressure. The stimulant properties of pink cocaine can elevate heart rate and blood pressure, raising the risk of cardiovascular issues. Especially when mixed with other substances, pink cocaine can upset the stomach, causing discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
When taking pink cocaine, users may experience muscle tension in the jaw, which can cause jaw clenching and teeth grinding. Particularly at electronic festivals and raves, individuals taking hallucinogenic drugs like pink cocaine report dilated pupils and clenching of the jaw.
Pink cocaine use can raise body temperature and cause excessive sweating and dehydration. This can be particularly dangerous in crowded parties or festivals where individuals are not staying hydrated, dancing, and physically active.
Mental Health Effects
The psychological effects of pink cocaine can produce short-term mental health issues that can be distressing and harmful. The desirable effects of the drug that many users seek are the feelings of euphoria and a sense of well-being. Depending on the drug composition and dosage, these effects are temporary and can quickly shift into negative emotions like agitation.
Pink cocaine can cause users to experience visual and auditory hallucinations, which can be disorienting and dangerous in public settings. As the effects of pink cocaine wear off, many individuals report high levels of anxiety and paranoia that can linger for hours or even days after use. Stimulants like methamphetamine in pink cocaine can cause severe irritability, agitation, and even aggression in some users.
Hallucinogenic drugs have a significant impact on perception and decision-making, leading to impaired judgment and risky behaviors. When under the influence of drugs like pink cocaine, individuals are at an increased risk of engaging in reckless driving, unprotected sex, and criminal behaviors.
Risk of Drug Overdose and Death
Since pink cocaine is often mixed with other dangerous substances like fentanyl and xylazine, the risk of overdose is relatively high. Young teenagers and adults may unknowingly ingest a hazardous combination that could cause life-threatening side effects and symptoms.
Pink cocaine powders are illicitly made, heightening one’s susceptibility to experiencing overdose symptoms. The most common signs of a drug overdose on pink cocaine are vomiting, confusion, slowed breathing, seizures, rapid heart rate, and respiratory depression. If left untreated, pink cocaine overdose can be life-threatening, leading to respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.
Drug Detox Treatment for Pink Cocaine Addiction
While pink cocaine abuse and addiction is less researched and documented compared to other illicit substances, it is still a public health concern. With increased awareness and education on the dangers of pink cocaine, we can help prevent potential substance abuse, addiction, and overdose.
Treatment options are available for those struggling with pink cocaine addiction and other substance use problems. With a combination of addiction treatment, behavioral therapy, and mental health counseling, teenagers and young adults can receive treatment for addiction and substance use disorders (SUDs).
If you or a loved one are struggling with pink cocaine abuse or any other substance use problem, Coastal Detox is here for you. Our drug detox programs in Stuart, FL, treat addiction to cocaine, fentanyl, alcohol, marijuana, and more. Reach out to our South Florida drug detox facility today.
References:
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Pink Cocaine.
- Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2018. Acute Pharmacological Effects of 2C-B in Humans: An Observational Study.
- WebMD, 2024. What Is Pink Cocaine?
- The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2023. Tusi: a new ketamine concoction complicating the drug landscape.
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Ketamine.
- GoodRx, 2024. What Are the Signs of a Drug Overdose?