'Pink Cocaine' Is a Lie — And It Could Kill You
Pink cocaine. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Public domain.
Lurid celebrity scandals. Neon party scenes. A powdery pink drug with a name that sounds like candy. "Pink cocaine" has the internet buzzing, but few know what it actually is or isn't. What's in it, who's using it, and why it's causing experts to sound the alarm paints a much more complicated — and dangerous — picture than the color suggests.
What Is Pink Cocaine?
Despite its name, pink cocaine is almost never cocaine. Often called "tusi" or "tusibi," the substance is a loosely defined mix of drugs dyed pink using food coloring or even Kool-Aid for branding and appeal. According to the National Capital Poison Center, the color is cosmetic and doesn't indicate safety or consistency.
An analysis of nearly 1,000 seizures by the Drug Enforcement Agency found that 99.5% of pink powder samples were a mixture of ketamine and other drugs, such as MDMA, methamphetamine, caffeine, and fentanyl.
A Party Drug Wrapped in Mystery
Pink cocaine has made headlines after appearing in the toxicology report of Liam Payne following his death in Argentina and in allegations involving Sean "Diddy" Combs and Yung Miami.
NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs was also filmed with pink powder, further amplifying public interest. Joseph Palamar, a population health professor at NYU Langone, told CBS News that the drug gained traction in online communities starting in late 2019 and exploded in visibility by mid-2023. His research through the National Drug Early Warning System showed that Reddit mentions nearly doubled in early 2023, climbing to over 30 posts per day.
Palamar said users often refer to themselves as "psychonauts" and use forums like Reddit to share detailed, diary-style reports of their experiences. He warns this chatter can signal a spike in real-world use and poisonings.
Why It's Spreading
The viral popularity of the term "pink cocaine" is no accident. Its street name "tusi" is a phonetic twin of "2C-B," a real hallucinogen that was popular in the 1990s. Experts believe this was an intentional branding strategy to piggyback on the legacy of a known party drug and mislead consumers into thinking they were getting something familiar and safe.
But the two substances are nothing alike. While 2C-B is a psychedelic, pink cocaine has dissociative, anesthetic effects. And when mixed with alcohol or taken in large doses, it can cause severe illness, including unconsciousness and vomiting.
Even experienced users are at risk. Krotulski, director of toxicology at the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, explained to Vanity Fair that every batch can vary wildly. "White powder could be sugar, could be table salt, or it could be fentanyl, or it could be cocaine, or it could be whatever, right? That's kind of the area that this falls into," he said, according to Vanity Fair.
Health Warnings Are Growing Louder
The dangers are real and increasingly visible. According to the New Jersey Poison Control Center, there have been 18 reported exposures in the U.S. since January 2024. Seven required hospitalization, three were life-threatening, and one case may have resulted in death, though that case remains unconfirmed.
Frank Tarantino of the DEA warned CBS News that users often believe they're buying a stimulant, but instead ingest a sedative or even a deadly opioid like fentanyl, leading to overdoses.
One user interviewed by CBS admitted to discovering fentanyl in her own supply — she gave it back, calling it "dangerous," according to CBS News.
Why You Should Care
Pink cocaine may look trendy, but its danger lies in the unknown. It's a catch-all term for colorful, unpredictable drug cocktails sold under a feel-good name. And that false sense of familiarity is precisely what makes it so hazardous. If you or someone you know encounters pink powder sold as cocaine or "tusi," treat it with caution or better yet, not at all. As DEA officials, poison control experts, and researchers are warning: you don't know what's in it, and neither does the person selling it.
References: "Pink cocaine" is the latest street drug. This team of researchers has been warning the public about it for a year | What is Pink Cocaine? | Pink Cocaine. Tusi. Tusibi. The Party Drug That's Popping Up Everywhere Is Still a Big Mystery
