Tusi (drug)

Not to be confused with 2C-B, a psychoactive drug of the 2C family.

Tusi (drug)
Pink methamphetamine dyed with food coloring, in imitation of "tusi"
Combination of
KetamineDissociative
MDMAStimulant
MethamphetamineStimulant
CocaineStimulant
EutyloneStimulant
OxycodoneOpioid
Clinical data
Other namespink cocaine,
tuci, tucci, tussi, tucibi
Routes of
administration		By mouth (oral), inhalation, insufflation
ATC code
  • None
Legal status
Legal status
  • In general: illegal
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailabilitydepends on combination
Metabolismdepends on combination
Metabolitesdepends on combination
Onset of action
Elimination half-liferange 5–30 hours; irrespective of route
ExcretionPrimarily kidney

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]

Though the name "tusi" is phonetically similar to "2C", tusi is not the same psychoactive substance as 2C-B or more broadly, the 2C family. Tusi, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, contained no 2C-B in most instances as of 2022.[2]

Society and culture

In United States

Authorities 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

Drugs detected within the 19 samples of pink powder tusi/2C-B submissions to Erowid's DrugsData between 2019 and 2022:[1]

Drugs detected within the tusi samples (2019–2022)
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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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. Free access icon
  3. ^ "ALERT: Powder sold as pink tusi found on-site at Lost Village 2022". The Loop. 2022 [August 28]. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "New mystery drug 'pink cocaine' isn't what you might think". ABC7 New York. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  6. ^ Wiginton K. "Pink Cocaine: Risks, Effects, and Treatment". WebMD. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  7. ^ Miller JR (2024-07-13). "'Pink Cocaine' Busts Highlight Alluring New Drug Trend: 'It's pretty'". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  8. ^ 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.