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What is Purple Drank? Codeine & Sprite Mix

Also known as “purple drank” or “lean,” the combination of codeine and Sprite can be dangerous, as it carries a risk of overdose, dependence and addiction.

Article at a Glance:

  • Codeine can make a person feel high because it converts to morphine in the brain and binds to opioid receptors.
  • Mixing codeine, promethazine, and sodas like Sprite is a recreational combination called purple drank, purple Sprite, dirty Sprite or lean.
  • The effects of codeine products last for about four to six hours.
  • The codeine in purple drank can be detected in a urine drug test for up to three days.

What Is Codeine?

Codeine is a prescriptionopioidthat is a controlled substance in the U.S. The drug is prescribed to treatmild-to-moderate painand as a cough suppressor.

Codeine is available in different forms, including pills, and as a syrup. It is frequently used in combination with other substances like acetaminophen.Codeine’s potency is mildcompared to other opioids, but there are still risks associated with its use. For example, people oftenabuse codeinein order to feel high.

You can feel high from codeine because itconverts into morphineonce it reaches the brain. The drug then binds to opioid receptors, triggering a flood of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine. This leads to euphoria and other pleasant feelings, as well as drowsiness and even sedation.

Risks Associated With Using Codeine

Like other opioids, codeine also carries a risk of physical dependence and addiction. A person may start using relatively mild codeine and then move to more powerful opioids to get more of a high. Sometimes, people may even combine codeine with other substances, like promethazine and Sprite, to intensify their high. A common illicit combination of codeine, promethazine and Sprite is called purple drank.

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The codeine component of purple drank is primarily responsible forthe effects of this mixture. Promethazine and codeine arecentral nervous system depressants, meaning that a person can stop breathing when the drugs are taken together in high doses. These risks are even more significant if another depressant likealcohol is used in conjunctionwith the purple drank.

Mixing Codeine and Sprite

Codeine and Sprite became a popular mixture among illicit drug users in Texas in the 1990s. Also known as “purple drank,” this combination is a way to abuse codeine and get high.

What is Purple Drank?

A recreational drug cocktail created by mixing codeine, Sprite, and Jolly Ranchers.Although preparations can vary, other common ingredients include:

  • Promethazine, an antihistamine
  • Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant
  • Sodas like Sprite or Mountain Dew
  • Ice
  • Hard fruit candies like Jolly Ranchers

Besides purple drank, other slang names for a mixture of codeine and Sprite include:

  • Sizzurp
  • Lean
  • Drank
  • Purple jelly
  • Texas tea
  • Dirty Sprite
  • Robo tripping

Are Codeine and Lean the Same Thing?

Codeine and lean are not the same thing. However, they are related to one another: codeine is the opioid ingredient in lean.

Is Lean Bad for You?

Lean can be dangerous and can cause adeadly overdose. Codeine on its own is a pain reliever and cough suppressant. When combined with promethazine in the so-called lean drink, it creates an amplified sedative effect. This is because both codeine and promethazine are central nervous system depressants, meaning that they slow down the central nervous system. Combining multiple central nervous system depressants can have an additive effect on the body, increasing the risk of overdose.

Why Is Purple Drank So Popular?

Purple drankbecame popular in the 1990safter being the subject of several rap songs and videos. The concoction itself is sweet-tasting due to both the soda and candy components. For this reason, a person might not even feel like they are taking medications until they start feeling high.

People who used purple drank soon became aware of the substance’s euphoric effects. When someone has codeine and Sprite mixed together in the form of lean,they feela dissociative sense of euphoria, lethargy, drowsiness and impairment of their motor skills. In many cases, purple drank is also taken along with alcohol or other drugs, upping the risks even more.

Although it still has a reputation for being linked to rappers and athletes,studies have shownthat people who use purple drank do not fit a particular stereotype. However,risk factors for using purple drankinclude:

  • Being male
  • Being LGBTQ
  • Being a college student in an urban area

What are the Effects of Lean?

Besides euphoria, purple drank can cause a variety of side effects. Many of these are unpleasant and dangerous.

Over the short term,side effects can include:

  • Dizziness
  • Blurry vision
  • Nausea
  • Memory problems
  • Dissociative behavior
  • Loss of control
  • Watery eyes
  • Balance problems
  • Cognitive problems

People who use purple drank over the long term may experience additional side effects and health problems. Theseinclude:

  • Dental decay
  • Constipation
  • Weight gain
  • Urinary tract infections

Can You Overdose on Lean?

Respiratory depression, or slowed breathing, is one of the most dangerous effects of purple drank. As a central nervous system depressant,codeine can cause slowed breathing. However, purple drank’s other ingredients likepromethazine can also cause slowed breathing.

Due to these additive effects, purple drank has a high risk ofoverdose, which can be fatal. The rapper DJ Screw, who made purple drank famous in his songs,died from a purple drank overdose. Other celebrities, like Lil Wayne, werehospitalized due to overdosing on purple drank.

How Long Does Purple Drank Stay in Your System?

The effects of codeine are short-term and lastfour to six hours. However, no specific drug test or timeline exists for purple drank because the ingredients can vary. That said, there is an estimated detection window based onhow long codeine can be detected in the body.

This will vary by drug test type:

If you’re struggling with a dependence or addiction to codeine or any of the other ingredients in purple drank, help is available. Addiction experts at The Recovery Village offer evidence-based treatment programs that can lead you to a healthier, codeine-free life.Contact us todayto get started.

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Sources

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ARUP Laboratories. “Drug Plasma Half-Life and Urine Detection Window.” January 2019. Accessed May 2, 2021.

Cansford Laboratories. “Oral Fluid (Saliva) Testing.” Accessed May 2, 2021.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “Opioid Oral Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) Conversion Factors.” Accessed May 1, 2021.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. ““Syrup,” “Purple Drank,” “Sizzurp,” “Lean”.” May 2015. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Miuli, A.; Stigliano, G.; Lalli, A.; et al. ““Purple Drank” (Codeine and Prometha[…]Medical Implications,” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, November-December 2020. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Agnich, Laura E.; Stogner, John M.; Miller, Bryan Lee; Marcum, Catherine D. “Purple drank prevalence and characterist[…]cough syrup mixtures,” Addictive Behaviors, September 2013. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Serwer, Jesse. “DJ Screw: from cough syrup to full-blown fever,” The Guardian, November 11, 2010.  Accessed May 1, 2021.

Drugs.com. “Codeine.” October 30, 2020. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Drugs.com. “Promethazine.” September 19, 2020. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Khan, Amina. “Doctor explains sizzurp’s powerful hig[…] deadly side effects.” Los Angeles Times, March 18, 2013. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Northwestern Medical Center. “Is “Purple Drank” a Concern?” November 13, 2018. Accessed May 1, 2021.

Medical Disclaimer

The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.

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