Some common warning signs of an overdose on lean include:
Drank, The ‘Extreme’ Beverage
A new product is on the market called “Drank,” an anti-energy drink. But the beverage has recently come under fire by critics who say it bares a strong resemblance to the illegal drug, purple drank. Purple drank is the abuse of codeine and promethazine, which has has been glorified by some Hip-Hop artists in the South. Host Michel Martin speaks with Dr. Ronald J. Peters, who shares his concern about Drank.
MICHEL MARTIN, host:
Some health officials, as we just discussed, may be trying to get chocolate milk out of the schools, but is it really any worse than what kids can buy at the local 7-11? Now, at many local convenient stores, alongside popular drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and Rock Star, you may see another product that touts the exact opposite effects of these energy boosting concoctions. Its called Drank and it claims to be quote the first extreme relaxation beverage.
Now, critics of Drank worry that it just isnt another beverage. First of all theyre concerned about the origins of the product. The term purple drank is slang for an illegal brew of codeine syrup and alcohol that is popular among some influential tastemakers in the Souths hip hop scene.
Joining us to talk more about this is Ronald J. Peters. He is an associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. And he is an expert in codeine abuse. He also specializes in cultural and economic aspects of health behaviors in underserved communities. Welcome to the program. Thank you for joining us.
Professor RONALD J. PETERS (University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston): Thank you for having me.
MARTIN: So, Professor Peters, how did you hear about Drank?
Prof. PETERS: Well, one of the things, with my research, I try to do is actually just listen to music. And when you listen to music, you find out what kids are interested in. So, listening to a very innovative form of hip-hop music called Screw music that was started here by DJ Screw. I found that a lot of kids in the South were had high social approval for codeine, promethazine abuse.
So, we started doing research on the social norms of this particular (unintelligible) in the beliefs of kids around this particular substance.
MARTIN: And why do they like it? What does it do to them?
Prof. PETERS: Well, its three things. You have three different basic substances in codeine promethazine. You have alcohol, you have antihistamine, which all us have obviously taken before, it makes us drowsy. And then you have the actual codeine in it. Because of the hip-hop music being so popular, this particular trend diffused throughout, literally, in the United States and it has high social approval even in other parts – when you get on the Internet, at least on blogs all over the world.
MARTIN: Okay, well just take a listen to a little piece of the kind of music Professor Peters is talking about. This is Project Pat singing That Drink.
(Soundbite of song, That Drink)
PROJECT PAT (Singer): (Singing) Sipping on some purple, Ima call it yurple. Leaning to the sizzide, cool like Im Erckle. Weed got me percule, yes tight like girdle cruising through the hood slow, something like a turtle. Strapped
MARTIN: Okay, so, I think you get the point. But its important to make one distinction. Theyre singing about purple drank, which is an illegal substance mixing codeine and alcohol and now what we want to talk about is a legal product and what we emphasize is a legal product called Drank. And I do want to mention that we extended an invitation to Peter Bianchi. He is the founder and CEO of Innovative Beverage Group, which is a Houston based drink distributor and maker of Drank. He declined our request to join our conversation. He sent a statement which Ill read to you in just a few minutes.
But, Drank contains ingredients like Valerian root, rose hips and melatonin. And it invites users to quote slow your roll after a hectic day. Do you have any concerns about this product?
Prof. PETERS: Absolutely, you know, this is the worst thing Ive seen on a market since candy cigarettes. In fact, its worse. Both codeine, promethazine and this particular Valerian root and melatonin, it have issues of insomnia, sleepiness and issues of kids, in particularly, not being alert. Now again, it doesnt have the same euphoric effect as codeine or alcohol, but they have dosages of this particular concoction that could lead to kids having, obviously, daytime drowsiness in school – operating a motor vehicle is a same thing with codeine, promethazine. Were more concerned about the kids, when they get in cars after parties and so forth. And when you have this substance its doing some of the issues making kids sleepy.
MARTIN: Let me just read the statement from Peter Bianchi, who is the CEO and the founder of the company thats making and distributing this product. And well have the statement on our Web site. Just go to npr.org. Click on Programs, go to TELL ME MORE and well put his statement up in its entirety. But I just read you the first paragraph.
He says, we live in a high-paced world and that, coupled with the current economic conditions that we are in, has created a society that is incredibly high-strung and stressed out. This is made worse by the way that we have all been spoon-fed energy drinks, for years, to help speed us up. I saw all of this and realized that there was a need in the marketplace for something that will help us relax, de-stress, and as we like to say, slow our roll. And hes trademarked that phrase. So, using calming ingredients of melatonin, valerian root, and rose hips, mixed with a great grape flavor and light fizz, I created Drank – hes trademarked that – the first extreme relaxation beverage.
And so, it sounds to me like what he is saying is this is for adults who are stressed out. You dont buy that. You dont think that (unintelligible) going to buy that.
Prof. PETERS: Sure, he said, this is for professionals and so forth, that he states in on the Web site, but you know, how come he called it Drank. Thats what kids called codeine promethazine. How come its purple? How come its actually giving some of the same effects as codeine promethazine? This is not something, I think, thats targeted towards adults, but the hip-hop culture is being prostituted, in my opinion. They trademark some of these different slang words that are common terms in the streets and then use it for profit.
MARTIN: Well, what would be the appeal of it? I mean, I understand that Red Bull has become very mainstream for, you know, you see students drinking it who have term papers to finish, you know, is not uncommon around here, for people who particularly have to work odd shifts when one will see a can of Red Bull from time to time. So, who would want this other anti – what is it, whatever they say extreme relaxation concoction. Why would you want that? In fact and then in the hip-hop literature songs that youve have monitored, how was it promoted? Whats the appeal?
Prof. PETERS: Well, appeal is, again, its something that people are proud of. Houston music – this was something that put Houston on a map. So, theres a lot of high social approval for it. You dont look crazy when youre drinking codeine promethazine, youre looked at as being, as they call it, a player potion, so to say, or being cool. And so the issue with this is theres a lot of kids that dont know better. Theres a these are gateway kids. For the kids that are drinking this, they look at this as being silly – that are drinking in codeine, promethazine.
But for the kids that dont know what purple stuff is, that had heard it in a song, that had heard it in their communities, they pick this stuff up. If you look on blogs on the Internet, there question after question, what is purple stuff? You know, how do you make purple stuff? And so, again, they would go ahead, take this particular substance and drink it and it could be a gateway to the real thing. Everybody wants the real thing. When they find out that they had been, so to say, bamboozled then they will quest, some of us will quest to get the right thing.
I was talking to a parent the other day. And their kid picked this up out of one of the convenient stores. And she said, what is that? He replied, grape soda – just grape soda. And then when she found that this was actually drugs that were put in this, that were literally sleeping agents, she was just so disappointed in herself that she didnt do the research before her kid started drinking this everyday, literally. So, Im concerned about the parents who dont have knowledge of this. Im concerned about the kids that have access to this near communities and theyre taking this to have a cool image and it effects them long term.
MARTIN: And its certainly available. Seven-Eleven has informed us that it is available in approximately 1500 of their 5800 stores in the U.S. are carrying the item. They say it is a recommended item. But the majority of their stores are operated by franchisees, and they can choose to carry it or not. They say the item is selling well, with the highest sales in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. So Professor Peters, youve made it clear youre not pleased. What do you think people should do now, if they have
Prof. PETERS: Well
MARTIN: if they share your concerns?
Prof. PETERS: The major thing I want to state is that see, we spent a lot of time getting this codeine promethazine, as far as with getting it off the streets and making it less accessible to kids over the last 10 years. The prices went up from a bottle – that went up from $120 to $325 a bottle. And Im concerned now, that all of the work that weve done, you know, they could prostitute, again, all of the hip hop music to go ahead and create something else thats bad for kids.
And so, I think, we should gather, if we do have concerns, in particular in Texas or in the Southern states – we need to go ahead and rally and have some socio-political action where we can get this stuff out of the stores.
MARTIN: Ronald Peters is an associate professor of public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center. He was kind enough to join us from the studios of KUHF in Houston, Texas. And I want to emphasize once again that we did reach out to Peter Bianchi, the founder and the CEO of Innovative Beverage Group, which makes and distributes Drank, and he declined to join us. Well have a statement from him on our Web site if you care to read it. Professor Peters, thank you so much for joining us.
Prof. PETERS: Thank you.
(Soundbite of music)
MARTIN: And thats our program for today.
Im Michel Martin. And this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Lets talk more tomorrow.
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What is Lean?
Lean is an illicit substance made with cough syrup containing codeine (an opioid) and promethazine (an antihistamine). This cough syrup is typically purple in color, for which purple lean is named. Additional ingredients that may be used in lean include soda, hard candies, and alcohol.
Although people of all ages drink lean, lean abuse is most common among teens and young adults due to the way drinking lean has been glamorized by recording artists and entertainers.
Rapper Future was one of the main proponents of drinking lean, recording a song called Codeine Crazy to illustrate the effects of lean. Chicago rapper Juice WRLD died after taking an overdose of codeine. He claimed that he started using the drink called lean after listening to Future’s music. Future has now stopped drinking lean, despite concealing his abstinence from fans for some time.
What is in lean drink that makes it so dangerous then?
What Is in Lean Drinks?
Lean is sometimes known as codeine drink because the primary ingredients are cough syrups that contain codeine and promethazine. Codeine is a prescription opioid painkiller, and promethazine is an antihistamine used for the treatment of allergies. Combining these two substances induces a sedative effect, and triggers drowsiness, relaxation, and euphoria. Ingesting too much lean can cause people to stagger or lean, even leading to fatalities in some cases.
Some people also add other addictive substances to intensify the sedative effects delivered, however, the inclusion of other substances makes lean even more dangerous.
It is also possible to become addicted to lean rapidly due to the way in which opioids like cocaine disrupt the reward response system of the brain.
Lean FAQs
Is Lean Addictive?
Prolonged usage of opioids, such as codeine present in purple drank, can result in drug tolerance, leading to the need for more significant quantities of the substance to achieve the desired effects. This behavior can result in physiological dependence, which triggers a variety of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if an addicted person attempts to discontinue the drug. If you become dependent on opioids, you will experience aggravating withdrawal symptoms when you moderate or discontinue use.
Can you Withdraw From Lean?
Yes, you can withdraw from lean if dependence has formed. The initial phase of codeine (main ingredient in lean) withdrawal typically involves symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, sleep difficulties, muscle aches, runny nose, sweating, and elevated heart and breathing rates. If a person has been consuming purple drank in high doses or for extended periods, withdrawal symptoms may intensify and become more unpleasant, including vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping.
What Drug Is In Lean?
The primary drug in lean is codeine, a prescription opioid-based painkiller that is highly addictive and potentially life-threatening if misused. In the United States, codeine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. This means it has some medical utility but a high potential for abuse and addiction. Codeine is only available with a prescription.
In addition to codeine, lean also contains promethazine, an antihistamine drug that enhances the sedative effects of codeine when used in combination. Promethazine, like codeine, is a central nervous system depressant. This means that the drug can slow breathing and brain activity. When promethazine is combined with codeine, this can increase the risk of life-threatening respiratory depression.
What is Purple Lean?
Purple lean, otherwise known as purple drank, is a recreational drug that has gained popularity in recent years, especially among younger adults. Purple lean combines two drugs – codeine and promethazine – with soda and candy to create a sweet-tasting and brightly colored drink that can be dangerous.
Side Effects of Drinking Lean
Lean is named for the effect it has on those who drink it – they tend to lean to one side or slouch the more lean that they consume.
The effects of drinking lean are similar to the effects delivered by other addictive opioids like oxycodone, hydrocodone, heroin, and fentanyl.
The side effects of lean typically set in after 30 to 45 minutes. That said, some people use dangerous amounts of codeine in lean, using more than 20 times the recommended dose. This may accelerate the onset of side effects.
Side effects peak 1 to 2 hours after drinking lean, lasting for up to 6 hours, depending on the amount of codeine and promethazine used.
Side Effects
Lean side effects may vary according to factors such as:
- Amount of lean consumed
- Tolerance to opioids
- Presence of other addictive substances in lean drink
These are the most common side effects associated with purple drink:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Impaired balance and coordination
- Slurred speech
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Respiratory depression
- Fatal coma
The risk of respiratory depression and coma is increased when lean is taken in high doses or when mixed with alcohol or other drugs.
As well as triggering the above physical side effects, lean abuse can also lead to adverse mental health outcomes – an increased risk of anxiety and depression, for example.
Long-term abuse of lean may also lead to the development of addiction (opioid use disorder). Opioid addiction is associated with many negative consequences, including relationship issues, legal problems, and financial stress.
The sustained abuse of purple drank can also cause widespread health issues, such as:
- Weight gain
- Tooth decay
- UTIs
- Breathing problems
- Irregular heart rate
- Seizures
