What Is the Drug Tusi?
You hear about it in the news more and more these days, but what is tusi? Otherwise known as “pink cocaine,” this drug cocktail actually contains no cocaine at all, and what it really consists of can vary quite a bit from drug dealer to dealer. Like other dangerous drug combinations, much of the risk of taking something like Tusi comes from how many different substances can interact, as well as people ending up on drugs they didn’t even know they were taking in this mystery cocktail.
Table of contents
» What Is Tusi?
» Why Is Tusi Sometimes Referred to as “Pink Cocaine”?
» What Are the Short-Term Effects of Using Tusi?
» What Are the Health Risks Associated With Tusi Use?
» What Is Tusi? Key Takeaways
» Resources
What Is Tusi?
If you’re wondering what is tusi, you’re not alone. Let’s start with the name: Tusi is a sort of phonetic version of “2C,” referring to the psychedelic phenylethylamine known as 2C-B. This drug originally contained 2C-B, but as it became harder to get and source, dealers instead changed to a drug cocktail containing other substances, dyed the powder pink, and started selling it as “pink cocaine.” The confusing thing about all of this is that Tusi doesn’t contain 2C-B or cocaine anymore, making the name a misleading representation of what this drug cocktail actually is.
So, what’s in tusi if it doesn’t contain 2C-B or cocaine? The United States Drug Enforcement Administration says its own lab testing of seized pink powders has instead found other drug combinations, including:
- Ketamine and ecstasy
- Methamphetamine, ecstasy, and ketamine
- Cocaine and fentanyl
- Fentanyl and xylazine (a veterinary tranquilizer and sedative)
While dealers are pushing pink cocaine as a new drug and selling it in places with active nightclubs, music festivals, and urban scenes, it’s not really new—it’s just existing drugs being added together and then dyed pink with either food coloring or colored baking powder to make it pink.
However, “pink cocaine” isn’t really one type of drug—the only thing in common between all batches of pink cocaine is that the powder is dyed pink, while what it combines varies greatly from dealer to dealer. This makes it impossible for users to really know what they’re buying and taking, and that can lead to dangerous situations and risks of overdosing.
Pink cocaine has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, as it was reported in the U.S. after growing in popularity in Europe. Still, it’s important to note that authorities don’t consider it to be a commonly trafficked substance, and it’s mostly found at the local level by local dealers. Since 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration has reported it has seized a total of 960 pink powders. Of those, only four actually had 2C-B, while the other 956 had other substances. During this same period, the DEA seized more than 180 million fentanyl pills—showing that it isn’t widely available to anywhere near the same extent as fentanyl, which is the primary driver of drug overdose deaths in the United States.
Why Is Tusi Sometimes Referred to as “Pink Cocaine”?
To fully understand what is tusi, it’s essential to realize that, quite often, it’s referred to as “pink cocaine” when sold to users. So, why is it called pink cocaine? The name is derived from the distinctive pink color of the powder that tusi is sold as, which slightly resembles a dyed version of cocaine. However, as noted earlier, “pink cocaine” doesn’t often actually include cocaine.
Instead, it tends to be a drug cocktail containing some combination of other drugs like meth, opioids, MDMA (ecstasy or molly), ketamine, and new psychoactive substances. In some cases, it has also been found to contain other substances like benzodiazepines, cocaine, bath salts, mescaline, and LSD. There isn’t one standard formula of what is in pink cocaine, and the only constant between batches tends to be that all examples of pink cocaine consist of a powder that has been made pink with either food coloring or colored baking powder.
The danger of a drug like Tusi often comes down to the fact that users don’t know what they’re actually taking. While some pink cocaine users will end up with a drug cocktail containing ketamine or party drugs like ecstasy, others could get a powder that includes highly dangerous substances like methamphetamine or fentanyl, and they have no idea that they’re about to be exposed to these powerful drugs. This can significantly increase the risk of someone accidentally overdosing on something they never even intended to take.
What Are the Short-Term Effects of Using Tusi?
There are many possible short-term effects of using tusi. Still, there isn’t one universal list of potential impacts, since the actual contents of Tusi can vary significantly from batch to batch. While one batch might include cocaine, meth, or fentanyl, others contain things like ecstasy, ketamine, or even a veterinary tranquilizer and sedative. This unknown factor about what’s actually in a dose of tusi can lead to the risk of drug overdoses and other major health problems, as well as mental distress.
However, many doses of pink cocaine can lead to mind-altering psychedelic short-term effects that are owed to its inclusion of things like ketamine, meth, or ecstasy. People can also suffer from things like hallucinations or paranoia, rapid heartbeat, or shallow breathing if the drug cocktail contains things like meth or opioids.
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What Are the Health Risks Associated With Tusi Use?
To fully understand what is tusi, it’s important to understand the potential health risks associated with its use. Side effects can include things like:
- Confusion
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Feeling sick or nauseous
- Feeling agitated
- High blood pressure
- Low temperature
- Altered breathing
- Seizures
- Excited delirium (which can cause the heart to stop beating)
With repeated use, long-term use of pink cocaine can cause other problems, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty paying attention or forming new memories
- Sleep changes
- Mood swings and personality shifts
As previously stated, users of pink cocaine are also putting themselves at risk of suffering from unintended drug overdoses because they simply have no way of knowing what they’re taking or what dosage is in their powder. With repeated use, people can start to display the warning signs of addiction and drug dependency, meaning they need the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms and to feel better.
What Is Tusi? Key Takeaways
- Tusi is a drug cocktail that is starting to be noticed more in the United States.
- While its name comes from a phonetic translation of 2C-B, it usually doesn’t contain this specific psychedelic anymore.
- Tusi is often referred to as “pink cocaine” due to it being sold as a pink powder. However, it usually doesn’t include cocaine.
- Drug cocktails sold as tusi often contain things like ecstasy, ketamine, opioids, methamphetamine, psychedelics, and other substances.
- Using tusi puts people at risk of suffering from potentially fatal drug overdoses because there’s no way for them to know what they’re taking or how much they’re taking.
If you’re wondering, what is tusi? There’s one word that best describes it: Dangerous. People who use multiple drugs, especially at the same time, put themselves at risk of overdoses and other serious health emergencies, as well as addiction. If you or your loved one is struggling with using tusi and other drugs, help is available at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Treatment. Call our team at 877-855-3470 today to learn how we can help you get better.
Resources
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration – What Is Pink Cocaine?
- Partnership to End Addiction – What Is Pink Cocaine (Tusi), and Why Is It Dangerous?
- WebMD – What Is Pink Cocaine?
- National Library of Medicine – Tusi: A New Ketamine Concoction Complicating the Drug Landscape
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
