What is “pink cocaine,” the recreational drug that’s getting attention?

A recreational drug called “pink cocaine” is attracting attention and confusion because it typically does not contain cocaine.

The pink powder — actually a grab bag of various pink-colored drugs — has turned up in drug seizures and prompted warnings from law enforcement.

Pink cocaine is also known as “Tusi,” but both nicknames for the powder are more about marketing than reality. Experts say it rarely contains cocaine and is more likely to contain cocaine Ketaminea drug with very different effects.

Why is it pink?

Pink cocaine is pink thanks to food coloring or dye, said Joseph Palamar, who studies drug trends at NYU Langone Health in New York.

“Sometimes there’s cocaine in the mix, but usually it’s more of a ketamine mix,” Palamar said. Studies have found batches containing methamphetamine, MDMA, bath salts, caffeine and opioids.

“It’s an invention that anyone can make if they have some medicine and a pink dye,” Palamar said.

The word “Tusi” may have been coined to mimic 2C-B, a recreational drug used in the rave scene in the 1990s and known for its euphoric effects, according to an article published by Palamar last year published. Drug analyzes reviewed by Palamar showed that Tusi did not normally contain 2C-B.

Today, young people may not know the history of the name Tusi and may be confused by the name Pink Cocaine, he said.

“It’s just a pretty powder her friends use. They probably have no idea what it’s supposed to be,” he said.

Why is pink cocaine dangerous?

The danger is not knowing what’s inside. Users may experience adverse effects or ingest more than experience shows they can handle. Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic approved for use in surgery. However, in recent years it has also been used recreationally and to treat depression, anxiety and pain. It can cause hallucinations and affect breathing and the heart.

“Ketamine is not a fun drug for most people,” Palamar said. “It kind of puts you in your own little world and things tend to feel very alien when you take it, especially in large doses.”

Someone drunk at a party who thinks cocaine might counteract the effects of alcohol will be unpleasantly surprised by pink cocaine, which is actually mostly ketamine, he said.

“If you’ve been drinking, you’re going to feel nauseous and the dissociative effect is not going to be very pleasant,” he said.

Where does pink cocaine come from?

In May, the U.S. Coast Guard reported the seizure of pink cocaine and other drugs off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America.

“That was the first time I heard of large quantities being imported into the U.S. as Tusi,” Palamar said. It could just as easily be made by drug dealers in the United States who make their own mixtures, he said.

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