Effects of Lean & The Resurgence in Abuse of ‘Purple Drank’

History of Lean

Since the 1960s, primarily in and around the Houston area, Lean purple Drank has also been prevalent in other areas of the south. The mixture enjoyed a revival in the 1990s. A 2007 music album and a song titled Purple Drank and other recordings and music videos by hip-hop and rap artists appeared to glamorize and promote the mixture.

What Are the Side Effects of Lean?

Because there is no way to know the soda-to-syrup ratio in any given serving, overdose risk is high with drug cocktails like Lean. Each ingredient is associated with various side effects.

Effects of Lean – Promethazine Concoction

What drug is in lean? Aside from codeine, promethazine is also an active ingredient in Lean. When used as prescribed, promethazine acts as an antihistamine, antiemetic (anti-vomiting), and sedative. Alone, promethazine doesn’t usually cause euphoria unless mixed with other depressants like codeine and alcohol, as in mixtures like Lean.

Promethazine affects the body’s ability to regulate alertness, inflammation, and pain control. By blocking the release of histamine, it causes deep relaxation and sleepiness. This drug increases the skin’s sensitivity to the sun and increases the risk of sunburn.

When taken in large doses, promethazine can cause:

• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Changes in blood pressure
• Dry skin and mucous membranes
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Severe breathing problems

Is Promethazine Addictive?

Due to its antihistamine property, many believe this drug is harmless; however, this is far from the truth. Individuals who engage in substance abuse are at risk of dependency and even overdose. Promethazine side effects due to abuse and addiction can be damaging and life-changing in the most dangerous ways possible. Substance abuse and addiction’s emotional and physical effects can take a toll on anyone. Promethazine is one of the many hazardous substances that should always be handled cautiously.

When taken by itself, this drug can cause sedation and drowsiness. When mixed with opioids like codeine, promethazine side effects can include induced sedation, pain relief, and euphoria. Someone who uses this drug becomes dependent on these promethazine side effects and may continue using them. Over some time, this can become a full-blown addiction.

Skip To:

• Effects of Lean – Resurgence in Abuse of ‘Purple Drank’
• History of Lean
• What Are the Side Effects of Lean?
• Effects of Lean – Promethazine Concoction
• Is Promethazine Addictive?
• Effects of Lean – Codeine Concoction
• Is Codeine Addictive?
• Short Term Effects of Lean
• Long Term Effects of Lean
• How Long Do the Effects of Lean Last?
• How Long Does Lean Stay in Your System?
• Effects Of Lean Abuse
• Health Effects of Lean
• Is Lean Dangerous to Drink?
• Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Polysubstance Abuse

Learn More:

• Codeine and Alcohol
• Cough Medicine Abuse
• Dayquil and Alcohol
• Promethazine Side Effects
• Polysubstance Abuse
• Over the Counter Muscle Relaxer
• Mixing Claritin and Alcohol
• Pseudoephedrine

33 million

An estimated 33 million people use Codeine every year.

Source: NIDA

48 to 72 hours

This is typically when, after quitting Codeine, withdrawal symptoms are at their height.

Source: NIDA

Short Term Effects of Lean

Drinking Lean provides an easily accessible high.

Alcohol is only available to adults ages 21 and older. Although teens can usually still find an older friend to purchase beer or liquor, it’s easier to use substances they can buy themselves. Low-strength codeine is available as an over-the-counter medicine in most pharmacies. You might still need to be 18 to buy it, but the lower age limit makes it accessible to more young people.

The effects of lean seem to “slow down” the world around you.

The active ingredients in cough syrup slow your body’s central nervous system (CNS). This makes the things around you seem to slow down as well. In reality, nothing changes, but the cough syrup affects your perception and reaction times.

The effects of drinking Lean “takes the edge off.”

One of the most appealing effects of lean is that it takes the edge off. It softens things and makes it seem easier to get by. As people become hooked on this feeling, they become dependent upon the effects of lean to feel normal.

Cough syrup gives users feelings of euphoria.

Drinking more than the recommended dosage of cough syrup provides feelings of euphoria. This lighthearted, exciting feeling makes lean enticing at first. But, as users develop a dependence, it becomes more difficult to stop using it.

The effects of drinking Lean make users, almost literally, lean.

Lean gets its name from the droopy, slow sense that washes over those who drink it. Some users refer to drinking cough syrup as being “on the lean” because of the loss of balance and overall impacted coordination.

Ultimately, codeine is an opioid medication.

If the cough syrup used to make the Lean contains codeine, the Lean concoction is an opioid. This means that lean’s effects are similar to those of other opioids, such as prescription painkillers. Cough syrup is sometimes more accessible, making it another alternative to pills.

Long Term Effects of Lean

Frustration, agitation, or difficulties controlling anger.

After relying on the effects of lean-to feel good, especially for months or years, living sober is challenging. When you can’t access cough syrup, you might feel frustrated or irritated or even quick to anger.

The effects of lean may lead to memory problems.

Like other hard drugs, overusing codeine or DXM cough syrup leads to memory problems. This is often due to “blackouts” from using too much or mixing it with alcohol or other drugs. Lean will also lead to difficulties remembering things when used for a long period of time.

Lean may cause dental decay.

The sugary concoction of cough syrup, soda, and candy may cause tooth decay. If you don’t regularly take care of your teeth, the carbonation and sugar will wreak havoc on your oral health.

Low blood pressure.

Cough syrup’s effects on the central nervous system also lead to low blood pressure. If left unchecked, this can lead to lasting, long-term effects on your health.

Codeine causes difficulty breathing.

The combination of codeine and promethazine affects your ability to breathe. The opioids in codeine slow your breathing and may lead to a respiratory arrest in worst-case scenarios.

The effects of lean may cause coma or death.

Drinking too much cough syrup, codeine specifically, may lead to coma or death. Whether from respiratory arrest or the overall havoc it wreaks on your body, the effects of lean may be deadly. For example, the notorious Houston DJ, DJ Screw, died of a heart attack caused by an overdose of codeine in 2000. He was soon followed by two others, Big Moe and Pimp C, who died of similar causes.

Effects Of Lean Abuse

What is Lean the drug? Lean is so named because of its effect on people who drink it — they tend to slouch or lean to one side the more they consume the mixture. The effects of Codeine are similar to those of other addictive Opioids (such as Oxycodone and Percocet). Typically, its effects kick in within 30 to 45 minutes, though differing amounts of Codeine in Lean (sometimes up to 25 times the recommended dose) can shorten onset times. The peak effects begin 1 to 2 hours after ingestion and last about 4 to 6 hours. Knowing how to make lean purple drank is risky as it can lead to poisoning and overdose.

Health Effects of Lean

Despite its glorification in pop culture, drinking this mixture comes with a host of adverse effects of lean:

• Dizziness
• Slowed heart rate
• Slowed breathing
• Constipation
• Dental decay
• Weight gain
• Urinary tract infections
• Impaired vision
• Memory loss
• Hallucinations
• Seizures (in at-risk individuals)

Is Lean Dangerous to Drink?

Many Lean users underestimate the dangers of drinking Codeine. Abusing any substance is dangerous to one’s health, but Opioids are of particular concern because of the high risk of developing a tolerance and, eventually, addiction.

As tolerance to Lean builds, the system produces less and less of its natural Opioids until it is entirely dependent on the foreign substance. This dependency compels the individual to consume more and more of the drug to get the same feeling or, in most cases, to feel normal.

The abuse of opioids like Lean can also lead to life-threatening health complications and even fatal overdose. Upon consuming too much Lean, the brain is flooded with Opioid molecules and becomes unable to regulate its response or mitigate their effect.

The highly addictive nature of opioids is due, in part, to their rewarding, euphoric effects. Opioids should only be used in a therapeutic context under the direction of a physician and should only be taken as prescribed to mitigate some of this addictive potential.

Chronic use of opioids, such as the codeine found in purple drank, can lead to the development of drug tolerance and dependence. As tolerance mounts, people may need to consume increasing amounts of the drug to experience the desired effects.

This ramping up of drug-taking behavior can drive the development of significant physiological dependence. Opioid-dependent people are likely to experience a range of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms should they go without the substance for too long.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. In many cases, traumatic experiences can result in a mental health disorders and substance abuse. Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend largely on the treatment for both disorders done by the same team or provider.

Medication-Assisted Treatments

Medication-Assisted Treatments (MAT) for substance use and mental health disorders are commonly used in conjunction with one another. This includes the use of medications and other medical procedures. During your rehab, the staff from your treatment facility will help you identify what caused your addiction and teach you skills that will help you change your behavior patterns and challenge the negative thoughts that led to your addiction. Sometimes, the pressures and problems in your life lead you to rely on substances to help you forget about them momentarily.

If an alcoholic decides to stop drinking, they may alcohol experience withdrawal effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tremors. The development of tolerance and withdrawal are indications of addiction. If you or a loved one are struggling with long-term codeine and alcohol abuse and a co-occurring mental health condition such as depression, contact one of our helpful treatment specialists today. We Level Up NJ can provide information on dual diagnosis and detox programs that may fit your needs.