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Mixing cough
syrup and soft drinks or power drinks has become a popular to get high in some
parts of the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says.
USA Today reported on Oct. 19, 2006 that users mix prescription cough
suppressants containing codeine with soda or sports drinks, sometimes adding a
Jolly Rancher candy and ice. The mix causes euphoria and impairs motor skills.
The trend
got national attention when Terrance Kiel, a defensive back for the San Diego
Chargers, was arrested last month for allegedly having cases of cough syrup
shipped to his home in East Texas. The cough-medicine cocktails, known as
"Lean," "Sizzurp," "Purple Drank," or other nicknames, are especially popular in
the region. Officials in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida report
misuse of these prescription medications.
People either use false
prescriptions to obtain the controlled cough syrup or buy it over the Internet
from sites that do not secure legitimate prescriptions. Codeine comes from
opium. It is similar to (but less potent than) morphine.
Cough-syrup
use has been popularized in rap songs, including mixes by Houston disc jockey DJ
Screw (who died of a cocaine overdose in 2000) and songs by Three 6 Mafia ("Sippin'
on the Syrup").
People high on codeine
will show some of the following symptoms:
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Sense of euphoria
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Drowsiness
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Dry mouth
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Dizziness
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Confusion
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Impaired motor skills and judgment
High doses may lead to restlessness and/or itching, kidney and liver damage. An
overdose can lead to a suppressed respiratory system and death. Over the long
term, codeine abuse affects every part of the body – heart, lungs, brain, eyes,
muscles, digestive system reproductive system and the immune system. It can
make the user insensitive to pain, lower the blood pressure and lead to on-going
confusion.
Codeine is
addicting, physically and psychologically and requires treatment to aid in
stopping use.
Information from
USA Today,
Drug Enforcement Agency, the
Partnership for Awareness
and
Join Together
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