
Pink Cocaine: What to Know
By Madison Gesualdo
There have been a lot of unfortunate headlines in the news recently, with two of the most prominent being the P. Diddy case and the recent death of One Direction star Liam Payne. Both of these unfortunate developments have a common denominator: they involve the presence of a designer drug commonly referred to as “pink cocaine.”
Pink cocaine, better known to certain users by its street name of tusi, very rarely contains actual cocaine. It is a synthetic substance that can contain a wide variety of drugs including methamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), opioids, and occasionally cocaine. The one drug that typically is consistently included in pink cocaine is ketamine. The mixture is usually dyed pink using dye or food coloring, yielding its pink color and name. All of the drugs in the mixture are, essentially, crushed up to form a concoction that users can snort. The ratios of the different drugs in pink cocaine can be adjusted on a user-by-user basis so that the drug is ultimately tailored to fit the desires of each individual user. Therefore, there is no universal formula for the making of pink cocaine.
With the many different formulas of pink cocaine come the many variations in the effects it can have on users. Depending on how much of a certain drug is present in pink cocaine, users of this drug can experience the following potential symptoms:
- Confusion
- Hallucinations/delusions
- Nausea
- Agitation
- High blood pressure
- Shallow breathing
- Changes in breathing pattern
- Low body temperature
- Seizures
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in personality
- Issues with memory/attention
- Depression and anxiety
Although this is a fairly new designer drug, it is still contains several highly addictive and dangerous substances. If you or a loved one is suffering from substance use or abuse, it is important to get necessary help to prevent future use of drugs like this and the lasting effects that drug use can have.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, addiction, or other mental health issues, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychiatric Services. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/
Glasner, S. (2024, October 30). Pink cocaine is hitting headlines and clubs. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/navigating-addiction-recovery/202410/pink-cocaine-is-hitting-headlines-and-clubs
Juarez, L. (2024, October 22). What is ‘pink cocaine’? Designer drug linked to Liam Payne and named in Diddy lawsuit. ABC7News. https://abc7news.com/post/what-is-pink-cocaine-designer-drug-linked-liam-payne-sean-diddy-combs/15451752/ Wiginton, K. & Begum, J. (2024, May 22). What is pink cocaine? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/what-is-pink-cocaine




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