Is Purple Drank Bad For You?
TeenHealth understands you may not want to hear this, but your parents are correct. It is dangerous for you to do. There are many adverse effects of purple drank also known as lean, sizzurp, or Texas Tea. For our readers who may not know, purple drank is a mix of a prescription cough syrup, soda and hard candy. Healthline explains, this prescription cough syrup has two main ingredients. The first is codeine (an opioid) which is a very strong prescription pain killer and the second is an antihistamine called promethazine that can also only be prescribed.
When using any drug for any reason other than the recommended use, it can lead to several issues. Abusing prescription drugs, like cough syrup with codeine when they do not belong to you, can cause numerous short-term and long-term effects. Some of the short-term effects of purple drank are hallucinations, loss of coordination, extreme drowsiness, and difficulty breathing. Long-term effects can be permanent liver damage, permanent brain damage, and even death.
If you feel you may be addicted or need help, there are treatment options available. It is important to talk to your parents, school counselor, or other trusted adult and see a medical professional. If you need help finding a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist.
