Tusi (also written as tussi, tuci, or tucibi) is a recreational drug that contains a mixture of different psychoactive substances, most commonly found in a pink-dyed powder form known as pink cocaine.[1][2][3] Tusi is believed to have originated in Latin America around 2018.[4] Drug-checking studies in Latin America report tusi to be a concoction of ketamine, MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine, caffeine, opioids, and other new psychoactive substances.[2] Existing literature suggests there is no standard proportioning of the constituent drugs in tusi.[1][2]
 Pink methamphetamine dyed with food coloring, in imitation of "tusi" | |
| Combination of | |
|---|---|
| Ketamine | Dissociative |
| MDMA | Stimulant |
| Methamphetamine | Stimulant |
| Cocaine | Stimulant |
| Eutylone | Stimulant |
| Oxycodone | Opioid |
| Clinical data | |
| Other names | pink cocaine, tuci, tucci, tussi, tucibi |
| Routes of administration | Oral, insufflation |
| ATC code |
|
| Legal status | |
| Legal status |
|
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | Varies (depends on combination) |
| Metabolism | Primarily liver (depends on combination) |
| Metabolites | Varies (depends on combination) |
| Onset of action |
|
| Excretion | Primarily kidney |
Though the name "tusi" is phonetically similar to "2C", tuci is not the same psychoactive substance as 2C-B or more broadly, the 2C family. Tuci, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, contained no 2C-B in most instances as of 2022.[2]
Society and culture
editIn United States
editAuthorities in New York City report that lab-tested samples have very little or no cocaine. They say there are record numbers of overdoses and there is no way to know exactly what is in pink cocaine.[5] Because the drug usually contains a mix of uppers and downers, it is sometimes called a speedball.[6]
Authorities are trying to educate potential users who may not know how different ketamine is from cocaine. Cocaine is a stimulant and ketamine is a sedative-hallucinogenic anesthetic.[7] It does not mix well with alcohol.[8]
Pharmacology
editDrugs detected within the 19 samples of pink powder tusi/2C-B submissions to Erowid's DrugsData between 2019 and 2022:[1]
| Substance | Drug class | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Ketamine | Dissociative anaesthetic | 94.7% |
| Ketamine precursor | Dissociative anaesthetic (precursor) | 84.2% |
| MDMA | Empathogen/Entactogen, Stimulant | 63.2% |
| Caffeine | Stimulant | 52.6% |
| Methamphetamine | Stimulant | 15.8% |
| Cocaine | Stimulant | 10.5% |
| MDA | Empathogen/Entactogen, Stimulant | 10.5% |
| Oxycodone | Opioid | 10.5% |
| Eutylone (bk-EBDB) | Empathogen/Entactogen | 10.5% |
| Levamisole | Antihelminthic (often used as an adulterant) | 10.5% |
| DMT | Psychedelic | 5.3% |
| Lidocaine | Local anaesthetic (often used as an adulterant) | 5.3% |
| Tramadol | Opioid, analgesic | 5.3% |
See also
References
edit- ^ a b c Palamar JJ (September 2023). "Tusi: a new ketamine concoction complicating the drug landscape". The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 49 (5): 546–550. doi:10.1080/00952990.2023.2207716. PMC 10636235. PMID 37162319.
- ^ a b c d "'Tuci', 'happy water', 'k-powdered milk' – is the illicit market for ketamine expanding?" (PDF). UN Global Smart Update. 27. United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (published 2022-12-09): 12. 2022. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "ALERT: Powder sold as pink tusi found on-site at Lost Village 2022". The Loop. 2022 [August 28]. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ Díaz Moreno M, Alarcón Ayala N, Estrada Y, Morris V, Quintero J (January 2022). "Échele Cabeza as a harm reduction project and activist movement in Colombia". Drugs, Habits and Social Policy. 23 (3): 263–276. doi:10.1108/DHS-07-2022-0026. ISSN 2752-6747.
- ^ "New mystery drug 'pink cocaine' isn't what you might think". ABC7 New York. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ Wiginton K. "Pink Cocaine: Risks, Effects, and Treatment". WebMD. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ Miller JR (2024-07-13). "'Pink Cocaine' Busts Highlight Alluring New Drug Trend: 'It's pretty'". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ Olaizola B (2023-03-29). "'Pink cocaine': The expensive and trendy drug is neither cocaine nor high quality". El País English. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
