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Recent songs and music videos often portray the use of “syrup” in a glamorized or appealing manner. This has increased the popularity of a dangerous drink called Lean.
In places like Austin, Texas, and other cities in the U.S., people often use terms like lean, sizzurp, or syrup. These are common street names for this strong and addictive drink. Although not a new trend, the abuse of this drink has persisted for years in cities like Austin, Houston, and other parts of Texas. Individuals should be aware of its potentially dangerous and life-threatening effects.
What is in Lean the Drug?
People make the street drug called “lean” by mixing prescription cough syrup with codeine and soda. People commonly add hard candy to the mixture to alter or enhance its flavor.
What is Purple Syrup?
People frequently refer to the mixture as “lean drankje” or “purple drank” because of the purple color of the codeine-based syrup. Individuals typically consume it gradually throughout the day to prolong its psychoactive effects. This way of consuming is well-known in city street culture and social media. However, it has serious health risks that people often ignore.
Is Lean Considered an Opiate?
Codeine, is what cough syrup makes lean, the primary ingredient in the street drug lean, is an opiate. Doctors prescribe this drug to treat a cough and moderate pain reliever. It interacts with the brain in a manner similar to other opioid substances. It binds to opioid receptors and changes how the user feels pain.
People frequently include codeine with other drugs because when they take it on its own, they can usually still feel some pain.
Many people who become addicted to opioid drugs like morphine and heroin may have abused codeine first. For this reason, people consider codeine a “gateway drug” to other opiates.
Lean and Codeine Street Names
Codeine is frequently abused for recreational purposes and several different slang terms, or street names, are used for it. Common codeine street names are:
- Schoolboy
- Coties
- Cough syrup
- T-three’s
Common street names for lean include:1
- Purple drank
- Drank
- Syrup
- Sizzurp
- Dirty Sprite
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What Does the Street Drug Lean Do?
The promethazine in the cough syrup works as a sedative. The opiate, codeine, gives a feeling of euphoria. One commonly used street name for the mixture is “lean.”
Individuals typically consume the mixture gradually over the course of the day, resulting in significant intoxication that can impair physical coordination. This level of impairment often causes difficulty standing without support.
What is the Addictive Potential of Lean?
Lean highly addictive and the DEA classifies it as a Schedule II drug, which means it has a high potential for abuse. The high that codeine produces provides users with pleasurable effects that will likely drive them to continue drinking lean.
Doctors prescribe codeine for short-term use. If someone drinks lean often, they may become dependent or addicted. As a person builds a tolerance, they may begin to crave a stronger high. This can lead to using other opioid drugs like heroin or morphine.
Drinking lean often can harm your body and mind. It may lead to problems like depression and addiction.
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Dangerous Lean Drink Side Effects
People do not intend codeine for recreational use or consumption in beverage form. Drinking lean can cause many health problems, especially if used for a long time. Dangerous side effects of the lean drink include:
- Wheezing
- Night terrors
- Runny Nose
- Extreme confusion
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Liver damage
Additionally, lean has three different depressants that can cause harmful physical side effects like:2
- Extreme sleepiness
- Severely reduced blood pressure
- Respiratory depression
- Coma
- Sudden death
Signs and Symptoms of Codeine Overdose
Because the amount of codeine in lean is unpredictable and will vary based on the batch, lean users are at high risk for overdose. Signs and symptoms of codeine overdose and withdrawal symptoms include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Cold, clammy skin
- Drowsiness
- Itchiness
- Extreme confusion
- Blue fingers and lips
- Constipation
- Muscle spasms
- Dizziness
- Loss of consciousness or coma
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pinpoint pupils
How Dangerous is Lean?
The cough syrup formulation includes cough syrup codeine and promethazine. Both drugs can slow down the central nervous system and breathing. This has the potential to cause respiratory and cardiac failure.
Doctors warn that the drug can cause side effects like nausea, dizziness, and memory loss. Abuse of the drug can also lead to serious problems. These include hallucinations, seizures, and even death.
The risk increases when someone mixes the drug with other drugs or alcohol. The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that some teens think medications from a pharmacy are always safe. However, this belief can be misleading and dangerous.
As people consume the drug, they build a tolerance, and they need higher and higher doses to feel similar effects. The promethazine can double the amount of codeine that affects the body. Also, by consuming the cough syrup with a carbonated drink, the body absorbs even more of the drug.
A significant risk of developing a substance use disorder also exists. Like many opiates, using codeine can cause chemical dependency.
This happens because the body stops making its own painkillers or endorphins. These unused nerve cells degenerate, and the body is no longer producing its own painkillers. When an addicted user wants to quit, the process is not simple; it often means a painful withdrawal period.
The consumption of the street drug lean or other prescription cough syrup when not medically necessary is dangerous. The use of drink mixtures like lean, sizzurp, or syrup to get high means risking injury, addiction, or even death.
Understanding Prescription Cough Syrup and Its Misuse
Certain types of prescription drugs, especially prescription cough syrup, contain active ingredients that pose a high risk of misuse. People commonly use the combination of codeine and promethazine in the formulation of the street drug known as lean.
Various street names associated with codeine commonly identify the mixture. People usually make it with prescription cough medicine and soft drinks. While the effects may seem mild at first, the short term impact can be misleading.
Symptoms Include More Than Euphoria
Doctors prescribe cough suppressants like codeine for medical use. However, someone can misuse them if they take them outside a doctor’s orders.
When individuals misuse this medication, symptoms include drowsiness, confusion, and impaired motor skills. Over time, repeated misuse may increase the risk of health complications or develop into a substance use disorder.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that more people are misusing codeine and similar prescription drugs. This trend is increasing in the United States. This trend is especially common among teens and young adults.
Lean Drink Side Effects and Health Conditions
The side effects of lean drink can vary. While some users experience euphoria, others encounter serious risks such as respiratory depression. In more severe cases, overdose may occur.
Signs of risk of overdose include slow breathing, pale skin, and unconsciousness. If not addressed with medical supervision, this can lead to life-threatening consequences. Understanding the effects of codeine and the dangers of recreational use is essential for making informed decisions.
Medical Detox and Treatment Options
Treatment programs and medical detox options are available for individuals affected by lean or other forms of codeine misuse. These treatment options may include inpatient or outpatient care, as well as behavioral therapy and relapse prevention strategies. Medical detox is usually the first step. This is important when withdrawal symptoms like nausea, anxiety, and muscle aches start showing.
Seeking Support for Prescription Drug Misuse
For individuals experiencing these challenges, seeking help is critical. Licensed professionals should tailor treatment to the person’s unique health conditions. Resources from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other health groups can help people find the support they need.
Addiction Treatment for Lean Addiction
If you or someone you value is addicted to lean or another drug, Nova Recovery Center can help. Recovering from lean addiction may need several treatment programs. These can include drug detox, inpatient or outpatient rehab, sober living, and aftercare.
We have two detox centers that provide medically assisted detox programs for all kinds of addictive substances, including lean. To learn more about our detox programs or to enroll yourself or a loved one, please call Nova Recovery Center today.
