Drug and Alcohol

Liam Payne’s Autopsy Reveals Presence of Pink Cocaine at Time of Death

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Former One Direction star Liam Payne was found to have pink cocaine in his system prior to his tragic death in Buenos Aires, highlighting the dangers of this drug.

On October 16, 2024, 31 year-old U.K. singer and One Direction member Liam Payne died after falling off his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, suffering multiple traumas and hemorrhages.

Payne was found to have taken multiple drugs prior to his death, including pink cocaine, also known as "2C" or “Tusi.” But what exactly is pink cocaine, and how could it have played a role in Payne’s tragic passing?

Liam Payne’s Autopsy

According to ABC News sources, Payne’s partial autopsy and toxicology report — which was revealed on October 21, 2024 — identified multiple drugs in his system prior to death including benzodiazepines, crack, cocaine, and pink cocaine.

Pink cocaine, or “Tusi,” is especially popular in Latin America, and contains a dangerous mix of methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, and other drugs. The same sources report that a makeshift pipe made out of aluminum, assumedly used to ingest the drugs, was also found in his Buenos Aires hotel room.

What Is Pink Cocaine?

Pink cocaine, despite its name, doesn’t contain any cocaine. Instead, it’s a mixture of various substances, mainly methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). However, it can also contain:

  • Opioids (i.e. fentanyl)

  • 2C-B (a psychedelic drug)

  • Benzodiazepines

  • Bath salts (synthetic cathithones)

  • LSD (acid)

  • Caffeine

These additional drugs aren’t standard ingredients in pink cocaine, but are sometimes included in the mixture. Acid and bath salts, for example, are rarely found in Tusi. Meth, K, and MDMA are the staple components.

Tusi’s pink color usually comes from food coloring that’s added to the mixture. Because it’s a street drug, the exact composition can vary, which is what makes it particularly dangerous. Users often don’t know exactly what pink cocaine contains or the ratio between substances.

It’s a popular party drug in many regions, most notably Latin America, and often found in the nightlife scene — from nightclubs and music festivals to raves, private parties, and other environments where users are looking for an enhanced social and sensory experience. On the street, it’s also referred to as 2C, Tusibi, pink snow, and cocaina rosada.

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The Effects of Pink Cocaine (Tusi)

Since pink cocaine contains an unpredictable cocktail of substances, the effects can vary. Users take it for its short-term euphoric effects: energy, happiness, and sociability. But it can also carry some worrisome side effects, ranging from confusion and hallucinations to anxiety, agitation, confusion, strange thoughts, and vomiting due to nausea.

Prior to Payne’s tragic fall off his hotel balcony, an employee reportedly called 911 and said that he’d been “breaking the whole room” while intoxicated, and requested urgent assistance. Audio from local media that was obtained by Telemundo painted the picture: “The guest is in a room that has a balcony and, well, we’re a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening.” This destructive behavior could speak to the agitation, as well as the confusion, often caused by pink cocaine.

With Tusi’s mixture of both depressants and stimulants, the potential for adverse effects is quite high. Other severe effects include seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and coma, as well as fatal overdose.

Why Is Pink Cocaine So Dangerous?

With its vibrant color and association with party scenes, pink cocaine has gained recent notoriety — but beneath its appealing exterior lies a highly dangerous mix of substances and subsequent health risks. Here’s why Tusi is particularly hazardous:

  • Unpredictable Composition: Pink cocaine is a mix of many potentially dangerous substances, including ketamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, and sometimes opioids like fentanyl. The exact ingredients can also vary, making it hard to know what you’re taking, which only increases the risk of overdose and severe reactions.

  • Mix of Stimulants and Depressants: Combining stimulants like methamphetamine and depressants such as ketamine can cause unpredictable and harmful effects on the body, including severe cardiovascular issues like heart attacks and strokes.

  • High Overdose Risk: Even small amounts of potent substances like fentanyl can be deadly, and the lack of regulation and quality control in street drugs makes it easy to unknowingly take a lethal dose.

  • Severe Short-Term Effects: Users may experience hallucinations, anxiety, elevated body temperature, increased heart rate, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and abnormal heart rhythms.

  • Long-Term Health Risks: Chronic use can lead to serious health problems, including heart damage, addiction, mental health issues like depression and anxiety, and cognitive impairments.

  • Deceptive Appeal: Its bright color and association with party scenes and celebrities can make it seem less dangerous than it is, leading to higher usage among young people.

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Can Pink Cocaine Kill You?

Yes, pink cocaine can be deadly. The unpredictable combination of ketamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, and sometimes opioids like fentanyl increases the risk of overdose and severe health complications, including heart attacks, seizures, and respiratory failure. And since it’s often used in party settings where users might take higher doses, the chances of a fatal reaction are even greater.

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Written by

monty-montgomeryMonty Montgomery

Content Writer

Reviewed by

jeremy-arztJeremy Arzt

Chief Clinical Officer

Drug and Alcohol

October 22, 2024

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The exact source of the pink cocaine found in Liam Payne’s system is not publicly known. Typically, such substances are acquired through illegal drug markets, often at parties, clubs, or through personal connections.

In addition to pink cocaine, Liam Payne’s toxicology report revealed the presence of benzodiazepines, crack, and cocaine. These substances, combined with pink cocaine, significantly increased the risk of a fatal overdose.

Yes, mixing pink cocaine with other drugs can amplify the risks and side effects. The combination can lead to severe cardiovascular issues, respiratory failure, extreme anxiety, hallucinations, and a higher likelihood of overdose.

Signs of a pink cocaine overdose can include severe agitation, hallucinations, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Immediate medical attention is crucial if an overdose is suspected.