Lean is an illicit substance made with Codeine cough syrup, soda, and hard candy. Codeine is derived from the Opium poppy plant (similar to Morphine) and is one of the weaker Opioids. However, it’s still highly addictive and potentially damaging to the body. It’s possible for an individual to develop a Lean addiction in a relatively short period of time due to the way Opioids short-circuit the brain’s reward response system. It is possible to treat someone who is using Lean. Reach out to a treatment provider here for more information on treatment options.

Nicknamed Purple Drank, Sizzurp, and Dirty Sprite, Lean was initially a popular drink among blues musicians in Houston who mixed Robitussin® with beer. Then, in the 1980s, Houston rappers opted to instead use Codeine, soda, and a piece of hard candy (commonly a Jolly Rancher) for sweetness. The drink’s popularity spread throughout the South as the substance became incorporated into countless songs, including some by Three 6 Mafia (“Sippin On Some Sizzurp”), Lil Wayne (“Me And My Drank”), and Future (“Dirty Sprite”). Today, Lean is responsible for the deaths of a number of hip-hop entertainers and is widely popular among young people around the globe.