In the event you haven’t heard of a drink referred to as lean, your teen more than likely has. It’s additionally known as sizzurp, purple drank and syrup—as in, it’ll make you lean over.
The drink has been round for some time. It’s possible grow to be in style as a consequence of being glamorized in songs, rap movies, and social media posts. Excessive-profile athletes have additionally made headlines for suspensions and hospitalizations associated to utilizing this drink.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS LEAN?
Lean is a drink consumed at events to get excessive. Whereas it could sound and look harmless, it’s something however. This harmful drink accommodates a doubtlessly lethal mixture of prescription cough syrup containing promethazine with codeine, a mixing agent (most frequently a fruit-flavored soda), and a chunk of sweet dropped in for flavoring and colour.
The drink is especially regarding for a few causes. The sheer sweetness of purple drank masks the damaging medicine in it, which could encourage somebody to drink extra of it. And ingesting massive quantities may result in an overdose of codeine and promethazine.
WHY ARE CODEINE AND PROMETHAZINE HARMFUL?
Codeine is an opiate and is classed as a narcotic managed substance. It’s in the identical household of medicine as morphine and could be addictive. It’s used for ache aid and to suppress coughing.
Promethazine has sedative properties. It’s prescribed to assist with nausea, vomiting, movement illness, and ache. When used recreationally (which means, for enjoyable), promethazine can decelerate the central nervous and respiratory methods, have an effect on the center, and trigger seizures.
When promethazine and codeine are used collectively and never beneath supplier’s orders, the combination could be harmful. It might probably gradual the operate of the mind, gradual respiratory, cease the center and lungs from working, and could be lethal.
SO WHAT CAN PARENTS DO ABOUT IT?
Whereas prescription drug abuse is an ongoing and pervasive drawback, the hazard of getting it in a tasty combine raises concern for each mother and father and healthcare professionals.
Armed with the methods through which teenagers are referring to this drink, we advocate speaking to your youngster about it. Assist them perceive how harmful it’s by speaking about how addictive it may be and that it may be deadly. And provides them some examples of the way to “simply say no” at events.
As all the time, if in case you have questions on sizzurp or some other drug-related questions, please don’t hesitate to name Cincinnati Kids’s Drug and Poison Info Heart at 1-800-222-1222. We’re right here 24/7 that will help you.
Concerning the writer: Sheila Goertemoeller, PharmD, D.ABAT
Sheila Goertemoeller, PharmD, DABAT, ICPS, is a pharmacist and medical toxicologist. She has greater than 20 years of expertise on the Drug and Poison Info Heart Hotline at Cincinnati Kids’s.