Brits travelling to Ibiza warned over ‘Russian roulette’ party drug

Brits travelling to Ibiza this summer have been warned to steer clear of a “Russian roulette” drug, pink cocaine.

With guaranteed balmy summertime weather, bustling nightlife and at just a two-and-a-half-hour flight away from London, Ibiza is a popular party destination for holidaymakers in the UK. In fact, last year around one million Brits visited during the summer months.

But those looking to let down their hair on the dancefloor are being warned against using pink cocaine, a drug which is growing in popularity on the Spanish island and may be seen in the UK in the coming months, too.

Experts from the Balearic island have issued the warning, as per ITV News, “Taking pink cocaine is like playing Russian roulette. You never know what you’re going to get.”

The Guardia Civil, Spain’s military police, has recruited officers from the mainland to tackle the drug issue on the White Island, as well as other crimes.

The Welsh Emerging Drugs & Identification of Novel Substances (WEDINOS) has highlighted that pink cocaine has also been found in four different regions in the UK, including Dagenham, Macclesfield and Southwark, England, and Abergele, Wales. 

What is pink cocaine?

Lluc Acero, manager at the addiction treatment centre Ibiza Calm, told ITV News that there is a “big wave” of pink cocaine — or “2CB”, as it is sometimes called — in Ibiza.

Despite the name, pink cocaine often contains hardly any cocaine, if at all. The drug is usually a mix of other drugs, including MDMA and ketamine, and experts have seen an increase in the use of caffeine, speed, and in some cases, fentanyl, in the drug.

As per Health Direct, overheating, dehydration, and overdosing, which can cause death, are primary concerns of MDMA usage, while a ketamine overdose can cause seizures, coma, and death. It’s also possible to overdose on speed, which can cause strokes, heart attacks, and dangerous overheating of the body, “hyperthermia”. 

Meanwhile, Fentanyl is a strong opioid pain medication which can cause potentially fatal breathing problems and is highly addictive. The drug is up to 50 times stronger than heroin, and up to 100 times stronger than morphine, according to MyHealth Alberta.

Pink cocaine “can trigger side effects that are uncomfortable, scary or harmful”, as per Web MD, including high blood pressure, breathing changes, low body temperature, seizures, and rarely, delirium. 

This can lead to cardiac arrest, which can lead to death if medical treatment is not sought immediately. 

For confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects and the law, call FRANK on 0300 123 6600.