Understanding Lean Drink: Composition, Effects, and Risks

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In the past few years, a dangerous drug concoction known as “lean” has gained alarming popularity online – particularly among young adults and individuals in specific subcultures.

Going by other names such as “purple drank” and “sizzurp”, this unique mixture of prescription-strength cough syrup, soft drink flavors, and candy, the drink may seem relatively harmless at first glance.

However, the primary ingredients of Lean Drink – codeine and promethazine – can actually lead to severe health issues as well as addiction to its use. Even a single use of Lean Drink can have serious repercussions for one’s overall health and wellness.

Due to Lean Drink’s rising popularity, it’s important to know what it is, the ingredients that make up the drink, and the risks it brings to those who may consume it.

What Is Lean Drink?

While it may seem that Lean is a relatively new phenomenon, it actually has roots that are over 50 years old. It’s believed that Lean originally appeared in Houston, Texas during the 1960s – and saw a big rise in popularity in the 1990s hip-hop scene.

The traditional Lean Drink was a mixture of three primary ingredients:

Prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine and promethazine
Carbonated soft drinks (typically Sprite or a lemon-lime soda)
Hard, fruit-flavored candies

While the candy and soft drink offers a “cut” against the more harsh tastes of the cough syrup, it’s the effects of the codeine and promethazine that bring the addictive qualities. Codeine – an opioid medication – acts as a central nervous system depressant. Promethazine comes alongside the codeine and brings a sedative effect through its antihistamine makeup.

What Does The Name “Lean” Mean?

When you look into the history of Lean Drink, you’ll find that “lean” refers to the posture that one takes once the mixture is consumed. Those who become intoxicated on Lean Drink often “lean” to the side due to the intoxicating and sedative effects.

Does Lean Always Include Cough Syrup?

Over the years, Lean has evolved to include a variety of different medications – with many switching to over-the-counter alternatives that have dextromethorphan (DXM). DXM is found in many cough syrups, and may not have quite the impact as prescription-based medications, but is still incredibly dangerous when used inappropriately.

What Are The Risks of Lean Drink?

The effects and impacts of consuming Lean can be both immediate as well as long-lasting – particularly when it comes to the mixture consumed and how often it’s abused.

The dangerous combination of codeine and promethazine within Lean creates a strong sedative effect that goes beyond mental dulling, which makes it especially dangerous.

Short-Term Effects of Lean Drink

Within 30-45 minutes of consuming Lean, individuals report feeling a sense of “euphoria” or relaxation, with the feelings often lasting up to 6 hours. While the sedative feeling may be dangerous in itself, there are other short-term risks to consider:

Impaired motor skills and bodily coordination
A sense of drowsiness and extreme fatigue
A slowed heart rate and breathing difficulty
Vision problems and blurry sight
Memory loss and increased confusion
Nausea and sensory sensitivity – including dizziness

As you can imagine, these short-term effects can be incredibly dangerous, particularly if Lean Drink is consumed before or while operating a motor vehicle or while in an environment where fast responses are required.

What Are The Long-Term Risks?

When Lean Drink is consumed consistently over longer periods of time, there are even more severe impacts that users can experience:

Physical dependence and addiction: The relaxed, euphoric feeling that one experiences after consuming Lean can become addictive, and some may find that they become dependent on the feelings to function each day – leading to more consumption.
Respiratory, liver, and kidney damage: Cough syrups and prescription medications often come with risk factors for organs, and consistent use of Lean Drink can be dangerous. Some may experience life-threatening problems, especially with damage to the respiratory system.
Dental decay from sugar content: It’s not just the medication that’s dangerous – the soda and candy included in Lean are packed with sugar, which is proven to damage and decay one’s tooth enamel.
Hormonal imbalances: Studies into Lean consumption have found that abuse of the mixture can lead to hormonal imbalances, which can lead to a weakened immune system, chronic inflammation and illness, and gastrointestinal damage.
Sexual dysfunction and reproductive health issues: Some report experiencing sexual dysfunction along with the hormonal impacts of Lean Drink.

Is There A Risk of Overdose with Lean Drink?

A particular concern of consuming Lean is the risk of overdosing – especially if it is consumed in combination with other substances.

The mixture’s sweet taste and gradual onset of side effects can mask just how much codeine is being consumed. Codeine, as a suppressant, can be incredibly dangerous and life-threatening when consumed in amounts higher than safely prescribed by a healthcare professional.

The combination of codeine and promethazine has also been linked to “respiratory depression” – a potentially fatal slowing of one’s breathing rate that requires immediate medical attention to prevent lung and brain damage, as well as death.

Finding Help From Dependence on Lean Drink

For those who have become dependent on the sedative effects of Lean, it’s important to know that help is available and how to access those resources. The dangers of consuming Lean are too high to justify even a single drop of Lean Drink – and the treatment for Lean dependence requires a careful, compassionate strategy under supervision of a medical professional.

For many, professional treatment begins with medical detoxification – a process that requires one to remove codeine from one’s system and enduring the physical and mentally taxing process.

Comprehensive treatment centers can offer inpatient rehabilitation, and ongoing individual and group counseling can help individuals manage their experience and uncover the deeper issues that may have led to Lean Drink dependence in the first place.

Take The First Step Toward Healing Today

It’s important to address both the physical and mental impacts of Lean Drink addiction and finding a community where one can recover and grow is a key part of the recovery process.

The path to addiction can be rapid, but this doesn’t mean that recovery is impossible. If you or someone you know is struggling with Lean Drink use or addiction, help is available. The sooner you can reach out to trained addiction recovery professionals, the sooner you can find hope and healing from Lean Drink.