It’s Red Ribbon Week! What are some drugs of choice?

Each week we will highlight a different drug.  This week is PURPLE DRANK.

This is a beverage made by mixing soda, candy and codeine with promethazine (prescription cough syrup). They have powerful affects on the mind and body. Rappers and hip-hop artists have helped to popularize this dangerous mix by promoting it in their music and media.

What it Looks Like:  Liquid beverage that gets its coloring from the mixture of the soda, candy(jolly ranchers) and prescription cough syrup.

Street Names: Sizzurp, Lean, Purple Sprite, Purple Jelly, Texas Tea, Sip-Sip

Method of Use: Ingested by drinking

Actions: Codeine slows the functioning of the brain, while promethazine intensifies that effect. Causes the user to become unbalanced and uncoordinated.

Warning Signs: Impaired motor function, slowed respiratory system, cardiac arrest.

Tragedies:  Purple Drank is linked to many deaths from the potential side effects. This list includes rappers DJ Screw, Big Moe, and Pimp C.

Rapper Lil’ Wayne gave an interview in which he described trying to quite Purple Drank, “It ain’t that easy – feels like death in your stomach when you stop….”

Symptoms:

* Slowed and slurred speech

*Loss of balance/coordination

*Drowsiness

*Uncontrolled heart rate

Over Time:

*Addiction

*Lethargy

*Central nervous system damage

*Brain damage/seizures

*Death