By Savannah Ramirez, Staff Writer
The initial news of pink cocaine started around 2010 in Latin America but was reported in the US around 2022. Only recently has there been more of a light shed on the substance when it was found in Liam Payne’s, former member of English boy band One Direction, toxicology report that was done on Oct. 21 after his passing. Interestingly enough, pink cocaine was also on the list of drugs that was named in the lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, filed by rapper Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones. According to Page Six, Jones explained that pink cocaine along with ecstasy, marijuana gummies, and GHB, the date rape drug, were the drugs that every staff member, from the chef to the housekeepers, were required to carry around with them.
But what is pink cocaine? Pink cocaine, also known as “tusi” or “tuci”, is actually a drug cocktail of multiple drugs such as ketamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, opioids, and crack. To get its pink color, it’s mixed with food coloring and sometimes strawberry flavoring.
According to The Guardian, the creation of pink cocaine started in Colombia around 2010 and there on spread to other Latino American countries such as Panama, Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, making its way to the US and Europe.
Because pink cocaine contains a large mixture of different drugs, the effects it has on an individual ranges as well. As the mixture can contain any combination of the drugs listed above, the effects vary widely. According to NBC News, “Potential side effects can vary but may include anxiety, hallucination, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and blood pressure and elevated body temperature.” Payne might have suffered from being into something called a “k-hole,” where one has no sense of awareness, their surroundings, or their body.
The drug can also cause many complications because some of the drugs it’s mixed with are depressants and stimulants. Depressants, by nature, make an individual more “relaxed” or cause them to slow down, their heart rate and blood pressure decreases, and can also make a person very fatigued. While stimulants do the opposite; they make a person energetic and excited, their heart rate and blood pressure go up, and can even cause a person to not sleep for days on end.
There has also been a number of sexual assault instances and injuries reported due to the use of pink cocaine, according to NBC News, however, no data has been released yet on how many deaths, injuries, and crimes are attributed to pink cocaine.
There’s no doubt that Payne’s death is a tragedy, but it is connected to an even bigger problem in his life that was overlooked. Payne had a long history with drug abuse dating back to when he was a part of One Direction. Payne has spoken out on numerous occasions regarding his drug usage as well as rehab and his recovery from it. He stated all of this in a youtube video that was posted in Jul. of 2023; fairly recent. No other statement was released about his drug usage until the recent news of his death.
Michaela Riggi, an avid and lifelong fan of One Direction and Payne, spoke about her emotions surrounding his death and addiction prior.
“When I discovered his struggle with drug addiction, especially since I grew up with a lot of experience regarding that, my heart broke for him. As a fan, it was heartbreaking to see someone who brought so much joy to not only me, but millions of people through his music go through such a terrible and painful time. It made me realize that fame and success does not protect anyone from personal battles,” she said.
Time and time again, it’s been proven that many celebrities fall under the grip of drugs and addiction. Unfortunately, many celebrities don’t recover from it, ending their lives and careers too early. Other celebrities manage to catch themselves and start on their rehabilitation journey. Even from childhood or early adolescence drugs can be introduced to people in the entertainment industry.
Nursing major Eva Reyes commented on the drug use seen in the industry as it applies to Payne’s death.
“I was unaware of the exact drugs he took although I knew they were involved,” Reyes said. “After seeing the sheer amount of celebrities that use drugs and other substances, a child star turning into an adult makes it seem that drugs would have crossed his path no matter what.”
The combination of pressure, both external and internal, stress, competition, and just all around exposure to substances are huge factors when it comes to celebrities partaking in drugs and alcohol, according to the American Addiction Center. A study was done in 2016, examining different industries and the people within them who came in contact with or suffered from substance abuse and addictions. Of the industries and people examined, the results are as follows: Musician (38.6 percent), Actor (23.2 percent), Athlete (15.5 percent), Artist (6.4 percent), Writer (5.5 percent), Model (5 percent). These percentages represent the amount of people that have suffered from or died from substance abuse from 1970 through 2015.
Many celebrities continue to be affected by substance abuse. Though Payne’s circumstance was unique in its own way, overall it was not. Unfortunately, he became another celebrity that fell into the black hole of drugs.
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