Lean or purple drank, also known as dirty Sprite, sizzurp, and purp, is prepared by mixing prescription-strength cough medicine with soft beverages and occasionally, candies. All of its ingredients are completely legal and can be purchased without a prescription in most pharmacies and department stores. While lean is simple to manufacture, it is harmful to ingest and, in some situations, lethal.
Lean has been popular, thanks to celebrities like platinum-selling singer Lil Wayne, particularly in hip-hop culture. Lil Wayne has been drinking lean for a long time and has a history of health issues as a result. Other chart-topping rappers, such as Soulja Boy, have used social media to publish photographs of cough syrup. This public support for lean is risky because each of these celebrities has the ability to influence a large number of fans.
According to the authors of a 2014 study, the drug first gained popularity in Houston's rap and hip-hop scene.The same study discovered a link between a person's musical preferences and their proclivity to use lean. Rap or hip-hop fans, as well as rock or alternative music fans, were more likely to use the substance. This connection was especially essential for rap and hip-hop enthusiasts. Furthermore, guys and other drug users had a substantially higher chance of using lean.
What exactly is it?
The drink known as "Lean" is extremely sugary and is made by mixing soda with cough medicine that contains codeine. In several of the recipes, it includes candy or sweetening syrup as well. Users may also mix in antihistamines such as promethazine, which can amplify the effects of codeine and cause a person to feel drowsy and relaxed at the same time. Promethazine is one such antihistamine.
Taking excessive amounts of codeine and promethazine can bring in hallucinations, intense dreams, or even nightmares. This is one of the primary reasons why many people who use drugs do so. They have the impression that the hallucinations encourage creative thoughts.
What Effects does Lean have on the Body?
When considering the negative effects of lean, it is essential to bear in mind that the substance itself is a combination of a number of other medications.
One of the primary components of lean is codeine, which is an opioid that can cause users to experience sensations of pleasure. Codeine is placed in the same category as morphine and other opioids, such as heroin, Oxycontin, and Vicodin, according to this categorization. Other than medicinal purposes, codeine When codeine is used in high doses or when it is used for purposes other than medicinal, it can cause dangerous side effects as well as opioid withdrawal symptoms in between doses.
The following is a list of six common indicators of codeine abuse:
- Anxiety
- Yawning
- A decreased desire to eat
- Nausea
- Cramps
- Diarrhea
The prescription cough syrup that is used in lean also contains promethazine, which induces a state of relaxation in the person taking it. As a direct consequence of this, those who take the drink frequently assume an inclined position, which is the origin of the drink's namesake. In rare instances, lean may contain dextromethorphan, often known as DXM, which is a sedative that is commonly present in over-the-counter cough syrups and has the ability to suppress coughing just like no label syrup.
When used in large quantities, DXM is capable of causing any one of the following six adverse effects:
- Impairment of vision
- Slow breaths
- Abnormal rhythm of the heart
- Slurred or jumbled speech
- Loss of memory
- Coma
- Loss of libido
- Infertility
- Organ Damage