What are the effects of Pink Cocaine?

As if it were a virus, it seems that the drugs they mutate and become more powerful and harmful derivatives. In the case of cocaine, the same thing has happened. A new formula called pink cocaine has become fashionable. However, it has little to do with the drug that we traditionally know; they only share their powder form.

In reality, it is a "marketing" maneuver in the illegal sale of psychoactive substances, in which image is everything. Let's see what are the effects of pink cocaine and what is its negative impact on health.

What is pink cocaine?

Also known as “tusi”, “tucibi” or “pink panther”, it is sweeping across much of Europe. It is made up of the composition of the drug LSD and a portion of MDMA. Therefore, it generates an explosive cocktail of hallucinations and euphoria. The consumer is in such a high state of nervousness and excitement that it creates a false sense of control and perfectionism.

Due to its high price, it is not so present at street level. Rather, it is associated with the upper echelons of society. This is not surprising since the price per gram of this class of drug is around 100 euros. In today's article, we will talk about what pink cocaine is, its characteristics and most importantly, its effects on our physical and mental health.

This substance has created an image of a "luxury drug", and it is a synthetic substance that those who consume it can never know for sure what they are really putting into their body. The reason is due to adulteration and contamination of these substances. As if this were not enough, due to the impossibility of knowing the exact doses that are ingested due to the variability in concentration or purity, the vulnerability of each person is added and makes the danger of its consumption shoot up like a rocket.

In addition, it should be noted that generates a high level of addiction, which makes pink cocaine a much more dangerous psychoactive substance than traditional cocaine and methamphetamines. It can be snorted, diluted in drinks, smoked, taken as pills, or even introduced into the body through inhalers. Around 15 or 20 minutes is when you begin to notice its effects that usually last between 4 to 8 hours. When the substance reaches the brain, it releases large amounts of dopamine, norepinephrine and adrenaline.

Dopamine is the reason consumers feel pleasure and, through the brain's reward system, causes an intense desire to consume more. The increase in norepinephrine is the cause of most of the acute complications produced by the consumption of the drug. Finally, adrenaline is responsible for preparing our body to react in stressful situations, For this reason, the correct functioning of behavior, mood or perception in consumers is altered.

The year 2006 was the first time that this pink powder was detected in Spain. and although a few years ago it did not seem to be an alarming issue for society, now it seems to be in boom since it is seized more and more in police operations against drug trafficking in our country. In fact, at the police level it is within the so-called New Psychoactive Substances, since as the name itself indicates, it is a new drug that is taking off.

• Related article: "On the origin of Addictions"

pink cocaine effects

There is a belief that the effects of drugs depend mainly on the amount that is consumed. It cannot be denied that the dose plays a great role, but there is something that is even more important: idiosyncrasy. In other words, it does not affect all of us equally even if we consume the same amount of substances. For example, three people can consume exactly the same amount of a psychostimulant and not be affected in the same way. There are people who have died from consuming only once and others who consume every day.

Pink cocaine users use it for recreational purposes and psychostimulant effects. As we mentioned at the beginning, the portion of MDMA that this pink powder contains imbues the individual with a feeling of euphoria, excitement, decreased tiredness, less appetite, increased alertness and attention span, among many others things. To get used to the idea, according to experts, it has an effect similar to ecstasy.

As for the adverse and extremely dangerous effects of the consumption of this drug, everything indicates that they tend to be cardiovascular and neurological. Here are some of these detrimental effects:

• Panic attacks.
• vomiting
• Headaches.
• Anxiety.
• sweating.
• Very dilated pupils.

What is known as sympathomimetic toxicological syndrome occurs in the most serious cases of the consumption of pink cocaine. It has to do with seizures and coronary diseases and can also cause strokes or psychotic breaks. Going one step further, extreme cases may experience malignant hyperthermia or multiple organ failure, which inevitably ends the life of the person.

An added risk: the lack of sanitary control

In the summer of 2021, Energy Control launched a campaign known as #TusiSabesLoQueTeMetes, in order to raise awareness among the population about the importance of analyzing the substances that are consumed and the risks that exist when buying a specific drug thinking that it is another.

Pink cocaine is a great example for this campaign. In short, the strawberry-colored powder that is so popular in the upper echelons of society is a mixture of various substances. As we have already mentioned, the main formula contains LSD and MDMA. However, other substances such as ketamine or caffeine have also been found. Therefore, it is advisable to find out what the substance contains and not add any more. After all, if the composition of the "tusi" itself is a mixture of several substances, adding one more increases its risks exponentially.

Energy Control also promotes the importance of always performing a test dose. Not knowing the exact composition of a drug makes it much more harmful to our health. Not being able to analyze it correctly, it is vital to perform a test dose that consists of taking a an amount lower than that which would normally be taken to observe and assess its effects in each person.

In short, it seems vital to make the population aware of the extremely harmful effects both in the short and long term. long-term consumption of psychoactive substances and, in cases where addictions have occurred consolidated, seek professional help in therapy.