The brightly coloured drug, which originated in Colombia, is described as ‘addictive’ On the Ibiza party scene, many revellers are hardly strangers to recreational drug use. But this summer, they were warned to take heed: a dangerous new party drug was emerging, the use of which was compared to playing Russian roulette.
Has “pink cocaine”, as it is known, now claimed its first high-profile victim? A post-mortem examination has reportedly found that Liam Payne, the former One Direction star, had it in his system when he fell to his death from his hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires on Oct 16. It is too soon to know if the fatal incident was attributable to the drug, but its potentially grave effects are already known.
In fact, pink cocaine is not one drug but a powdery cocktail, or pill, often including MDMA, ketamine and methamphetamine. Samples have also been found to include cocaine and opioids. Despite its name, cocaine is not necessarily part of the mix. It can be present, however, as can caffeine, hallucinogens such as mescaline or LSD, and stimulants known as bath salts.
Originating in Colombia, the drug has spread in the United States and become increasingly popular in nightclubs. Its effects are varied and can include euphoria, increased alertness and enhanced sensory perception. Since it tends to contain both stimulants and depressants – “uppers” and “downers” – it is hard for users to know what kind of experience they will have on it.
In some cases, it is laced with the potent and dangerous opioid, Fentanyl, national drug treatment experts at the UKAT Group warn.
They describe pink cocaine as highly addictive and unpredictable but note that the combination of stimulant and hallucinogenic effects makes it popular as both a party and stay-at-home drug. Liam Payne died aged 31 after falling from a hotel balcony “The dangers of mixing drugs like ketamine, MDMA and methamphetamine together are profound,” says Lee Fernandes, drug treatment expert at The UKAT Group. “Whilst the user will initially experience extreme euphoria, increased alertness and enhanced sensory perception, that experience is followed by an extremely negative cocktail […]
How ‘pink cocaine’ is spreading across the world’s party scene – with potentially fatal consequences
