A group that injected fentanyl into its Tusi was even dismantled in 2021. However, by 2017, a list of new psychoactive compounds (NPS) that were becoming more and more harmful started to show up in tusi formulations. But, at the same time, it can because you never really know what’s in it,” Maryann Amirshahi, PharmD, MD, MPH, a medical toxicologist and co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center, told Verywell. Pink Cocaine, or Tusi is a recreational drug growing in popularity, particularly in Latin America, Europe, and recently in the U.S.
It’s a candy-colored designer drug with a catchy name that has been linked to several drug busts – even in a lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. In this week’s episode of Street Soldiers, Lisa Evers finds out why the new drug is getting so popular. “A lot of the younger generation probably have no idea about that history and about even the 2C drug,” Palamar says.
Pink Cocaine. Tusi. Tusibi. The Party Drug That’s Popping Up Everywhere Is Still a Big Mystery
More recently, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs was caught on video over Memorial Day weekend aboard a yacht flashing baggies of an unidentified pink powder and referring to himself as “Mr. If you or someone you care about is seeking support for substance abuse and addiction challenges, we are here to offer our assistance. With people confined to their homes during lockdowns, drug use became an increasingly attractive option. However, like many drugs of its kind, it poses exceptional dangers. Tucibi has gained notoriety as a party drug, taking the place of ecstasy in nightclubs and raves. The curious drug users, including adolescents, young adults, and those intrigued by this new drug hitting the streets.
- However, its real impact includes exacerbated health disparities and increased burdens on public health systems.
- Instead of being a hallucinogen like 2C, or a stimulant like cocaine, the mostly ketamine pink cocaine is instead an anesthetic with dissociative effects.
- Though the name “tusi” is phonetically similar to “2C”, tusi is not the same psychoactive substance as 2C-B or more broadly, the 2C family.
- “It’s a pretty pink powder, and everyone’s starting to use it, when it really started increasing was around mid-2023.”
Colombia’s Infamous ‘Pink Cocaine’ Is on the Rise in Europe
To facilitate its consumption, it began to be mixed with pink food coloring, which gave it its name and characteristic aesthetic. In its early days, it was an elite drug, much more expensive than cocaine. Though the name “tusi” is phonetically similar to “2C”, tusi is not the same psychoactive substance as 2C-B or more broadly, the 2C family.
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Drugs found in pink cocaine are highly addictive, and you may not be able to stop using them on your own. Try a small amount of pink cocaine. The only way to avoid the risks of pink cocaine is to not use it. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you use pink cocaine a lot and then go without it, which can make it hard to stop using it.
Tusi’s rise mirrors global trends in synthetic drug consumption, especially among younger demographics in nightlife settings. In Latin America, the drug has been linked to increased incidents of sexual assault and violent crimes at parties. In the U.S., Poison Control Centres reported five confirmed cases of Tusi overdoses in 2024, all requiring medical intervention, with one suspected death. “Combining a dissociative anaesthetic with alcohol is not a great mix.
Payne, who passed away recently, had reportedly struggled with substance use, and his death has brought attention to the dangerous effects of pink cocaine, a drug known for its harmful and often deadly impact. Pink cocaine, also known as “tusi,” is a powdered drug mixture that is often dyed pink and may have a sweet scent. Call 911 or ask someone to get medical help right away if you see signs of an overdose from pink cocaine (or other drugs). In May, police found a drug lab in a town just outside Madrid where they said suppliers had been mixing up drugs to create pink cocaine. Known to buyers as “tusi” (pronounced ‘2C’) – and by the media and police as “pink cocaine” even though it contains no cocaine –the concoction is increasingly being taken by drug users and seized by police in Spain, and is surfacing elsewhere in Europe. Due to the impure substances often mixed into pink cocaine, even small amounts may lead to overdose.
Krotulski, who is the director of toxicology and chemistry at the Center for Forensic Science Research Education, spends his time analyzing samples of all kinds—“pills, powders, plant materials, biological samples, blood, urine, saliva, anything you can imagine”—to decode their drug contents. Alex Krotulski, another researcher and forensic toxicologist, told Vanity Fair that he’s even heard rumors of people using Kool-Aid to give their mixtures that distinctive rosy hue. Ketamine should be the main drug in it, so if you have access to ketamine, then you could probably make it. Think “a rose by any other name,” but inside out and about drugs.
- Payne, who passed away recently, had reportedly struggled with substance use, and his death has brought attention to the dangerous effects of pink cocaine, a drug known for its harmful and often deadly impact.
- If you use pink cocaine a lot, the stimulant effect can damage your heart and blood vessels.
- It’s a candy-colored designer drug with a catchy name that has been linked to several drug busts – even in a lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
- If you or someone you care about is seeking support for substance abuse and addiction challenges, we are here to offer our assistance.
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Those with limited experience in acquiring street drugs could create pink cocaine from readily available products. Tusi lavada denotes a particular type or variation of the drug known popularly as tusi, which is a slang term for pink cocaine. Pink powder drug called as pink cocaine does not contain any cocaine. While pink cocaine and traditional cocaine share the risk of addiction and chemical dependency, they differ substantially in their origins and effects. A South Florida medical examiner has confirmed that “pink cocaine,” also known as “tusi,” is linked to several overdose deaths in Miami-Dade County.
“Prevalence appears to be increasing, but it’s a pretty new drug, so we don’t know how popular this drug concoction is going to be in the near future. I do think it’s gonna be more prevalent though,” Palamar said. He told FOX 5 NY that it will continue to make headlines if it hits the hip-hop world like the drug molly did. Officials say the drug is low in price, but it’s even higher in risk since so much is unknown about the drug. The bright-colored powder has been gaining popularity among the nightlife scene in New York City because of its low price.
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Their major similarities are chemical dependence and the risk of addiction; their origin and properties are very dissimilar. Dealers began producing 2C-B illegally for the party and nightlife scene, targeting wealthy, high-end consumers. Initially, people used 2C-B to treat erectile dysfunction and enhance libido. Intranasal and oral methods are most commonly used to ingest this drug.
What is the recreational drug ‘pink cocaine’?
While the mystery powder is pink, narcotic experts say there’s only a small amount (if any), of cocaine in it. NEW YORK – “Tusi,” better known as “pink cocaine,” is popping up in nightclubs from coast to coast. We probably wouldn’t call that pink cocaine anymore. What would Krotulski call that, if not pink cocaine?
Pink cocaine hasn’t been around very long, so researchers don’t know much about the long-term effects it may have on people who use it. Before 2019, the NGO, which tests drugs sent in by the public, received only a handful of drug samples it identified as tusi, but in the last three years it has received 150. The drug has been identified sporadically in Spain since 2011, and one of the first major busts was in 2016, when nine people including some Colombians were arrested for operating a tusi lab just outside Madrid. A search of their homes in Spain revealed 8 toosie pink coke kilos of what officers called “pink cocaine,” as well as regular cocaine and cash. Last week, Spanish police announced they had busted seven members of a gang who are alleged to have been involved with distributing cocaine and tusi in Madrid and Malaga after smuggling it in drug-filled suitcases by air from Latin America.
-B Drug Facts: Separating it from Dangerous Pink Cocaine (Tusi)
Pink cocaine, often referred to as tusi, is a popular synthetic party drug composed of a powdered mixture of substances dyed pink. In addition to the ketamine, “pink cocaine” may also include MDMA, caffeine, fentanyl, meth, or other substances—dealer’s choice. Pink cocaine, also known as tusi or Tucibi is a street drug cocktail that is produced by mixing MDMA, ketamine, and speed and is also contaminated with substances like oxycodone and fentanyl. Common substances found in pink cocaine include ketamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and xylazine. It is typically a pink-colored powder, often a drug cocktail including substances like ketamine, MDMA, and methamphetamine, but it does not necessarily include cocaine. The effects of pink cocaine can vary significantly, as it often contains a mixture of dangerous substances, according to the U.S.
What’s in ‘pink cocaine’?
2C-B was initially developed by chemist Alexander Shulgin at Harvard University back in the 70s, and quickly gained popularity in the recreational drug scene. The original 2C-B drug shares the same name with Tucibi but is completely different. Drug cartels in Colombia gave the nickname Tusi or Tucibi to this dangerous drug cocktail just to make it easier to market. Possessing cocaine in Florida can lead to severe penalties. The increase in these deaths has highlighted the alarming spread of the dangerous drug in the area.