how to make lean

how to make lean is an illicit substance that is made from codeine-based cough syrup, known by a variety of names. Lean gets its moniker due to the way the individual tends to lean to one side as they begin to feel the effects of the drink.

Lean drinkers can develop a dependence on the substance, and high doses can be extremely harmful. Continue reading to learn more about the lean drink and its dangerous effects.

What Is Lean?

Lean, also known by the popular street name “purple drank,” is an illicit substance made with codeine, containing cough syrup, soda, hard candy, occasionally alcohol, and the antihistamine, promethazine. An individual can develop a lean addiction in a relatively short period due to how opioids impact the brain’s reward response system.

While lean is a drug used by people of all ages, it’s most misused by teens and young adults at parties or in social settings. There are many reasons why young adults and teenagers more commonly use lean. For one, the mixture of soda and hard candy with codeine may be more appealing to younger individuals for its sweet taste. However, what may be even more of an influence is the prevalence of lean in pop culture, specifically in the music and entertainment industries.

Effects Of Drinking Lean

how to make lean gets its name from the effect it has on people who drink it: they tend to slouch or lean to one side the more they consume the substance. The effects of codeine are like those of other addictive opioids (such as oxycodone and heroin). Some common effects of lean include euphoria, relaxation, feeling tired and slow, irritability, and experiencing dizziness and loss of coordination.

Typically, its effects begin to kick in within 30 to 45 minutes, though differing amounts of codeine in lean (sometimes up to 25 times the recommended dose) can shorten onset times. The peak effects begin 1 to 2 hours after ingestion and last about 4 to 6 hours. Some serious side effects of lean include the following.

Slowed Heart Rate And Breathing

Because the main component of lean, codeine, is an opioid, it can cause many of the dangerous effects associated with drugs like fentanyl, OxyContin, and heroin. Of the many dangerous effects of lean, one of the more potentially dangerous is its ability to slow a person’s heart rate and breathing.

Decreased heart rate and respiratory depression can both be dangerous on their own and are the primary cause of death by overdose. This is because opioids like codeine can slow a person’s heart or breathing to a point where they eventually stop breathing. Mixing alcohol and opioids increases the likelihood of respiratory depression, therefore also increasing the chance of overdose or death.

Seizures

Drinking lean has been associated with an increased risk of seizures, particularly in those who may already be at risk. Experts believe this is due to the opioid-like effect lean has on the heart and lungs, which can deprive the brain of oxygen, leading to seizures.

Dental Decay

The sugary concoction of cough syrup, soda, hard candy, and alcohol can cause tooth decay, especially for those who drink lean regularly. For those who may not take regular care of their teeth, such as young adults or teens, the carbonation and sugar found in lean can take a serious toll on oral health. Additionally, the use of opioids like codeine can cause dry mouth, which can lead to an increase in the number of harmful teeth and gum-damaging bacteria.

Hallucinations

One of the more severe side effects of drinking lean is the potential for hallucinations. Hallucinations are sensations or perceptions that aren’t real. These sensations can make someone believe they’re hearing, seeing, feeling, or smelling something that isn’t there. While experiencing a hallucination, a person is more likely to engage in risky behaviors, which can lead to physical harm or even assault.

What substances are in a lean drink?

Lean is the name of a recreational drink composed of soda, such as Sprite, 7-Up, or Mountain Dew, plus an over-the-counter cough syrup that contains an antihistamine called promethazine, as well as other over-the-counter cough syrups containing codeine. The combination of ingredients, which often includes hard candy, results in a purple colored concoction that is consumed with the intent of achieving a dissociative euphoric high.

Codeine-containing medications are used to treat a variety of symptoms, including cough, diarrhea and low-level pain. Codeine is a Schedule II substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, possibly resulting in addiction or dependence. In medications that contain 90 milligrams or less of codeine, the classification is Schedule III, designating a slightly lower risk of abuse.

Lean burst onto the party scene in the late 1990s when popular rap and hip hop artists — particularly based out of Houston — glamorized the drink in their lyrics and videos. These celebrities gave young people a false sense of safety by featuring lean-infused party references without any emphasis on the potentially harmful consequences of using the substance. Unfortunately, several artists eventually lost their lives due to the effects of this dangerous beverage.

Lean is known by a variety of slang terms, including:

• Purple drank
• Texas tea
• Sizzurp
• Dirty Sprite
• Purple lean

Because the cough syrup is mixed with soda and fruity candy, the individual may not notice the sedating effects sneaking up on them, and may continue to consume more.

The effects of lean may last for 3-6 hours and include:

• Euphoria
• Dissociative (out of body) sensation
• Dreamy sensation
• Relaxation

Lean remains a popular beverage among teens and young adults. Young people tend to combine the use of lean with other substances, such as marijuana or alcohol, to intensify the effects of the high. At high doses, lean can slow the central nervous system to the point where the heart and lungs will stop functioning, causing death, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Different versions of lean

In addition to the promethazine-based versions of lean, there are other cough syrups used in lean drinks that contain an ingredient called dextromethorphan, or DXM. These products are sold under the brand names like Robitussin Nighttime Cough DM and Delsym DM, as well as some generic products that feature both the promethazine and DXM ingredients.

In fact, DXM is available in over 140 products distributed as over-the-counter medications. When used in lean drinks, the effect is referred to as “robotripping,” a nod to the Robitussin cough syrup used in the drink.

When the DXM products are misused recreationally, they can cause dangerous adverse effects. At high doses, DXM causes effects similar to the hallucinogenic drug, PCP, causing psychosis, psychophysical dissociation, violent behaviors, high body temperature and even cardiac arrest.

Another version of lean uses codeine-infused prescription cough syrup instead of, or in addition to, the over-the-counter version that contains the promethazine or DXM. Even though cough syrups that contain codeine are more tightly controlled, they are available with a prescription and can be misused. Codeine is a lower-potency opioid that binds to the opioid receptors in the brain, which can increase the risk of developing physical dependence. However, because these codeine-infused cough syrups are harder to obtain, syrups containing DXM or promethazine have largely supplanted them for the purpose of making lean.

Signs of lean overdose

Lean drinks pose significant risks due to the sedating effects of the ingredients. Depending on the type of lean drink that is consumed, the effects will vary slightly. But all varieties of the lean concoctions, when consumed at high doses, pose an overdose risk because they are all central nervous system depressants.

Some of the warning signs of lean overdose include:

• Heart arrhythmia
• Decrease in blood pressure
• Significant sedation
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of inhibitions; risky behaviors
• Slowed breathing; shortness of breath
• Extreme lethargy
• Hallucinations
• Seizures

Lean overdose can lead to brain damage, organ damage, coma, or death.

Lean drinks may adversely interact with certain psychiatric medications, such as MAOI antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or benzodiazepines. Lean can also interact with herbal supplements, like melatonin or valerian root. These interactions can increase the risk of overdose.

Here are five frequently asked questions (FAQs) about making lean: