What is purple drank? Many may have heard rappers like Lil Wayne, Pimp C and even Drake talk about, “sippin on purple drank.” Also referred to as leanin’, the drinks main ingredient is codeine cough syrup. The drink is usually mixed with a soda, for example, sprite, and many jolly ranchers, all being the same flavor. The drink gets its name, purple drank, from the color. The drink turns purple from the dye in the cough syrup.  Despite its popularity among rappers, many don't know the dangers of purple drank. 

            The medical use for codeine syrup is, “Used as a pain reliever, but is also used for the relief of a non-productive cough, and as an anti-diarrheal agent,” according to http://opioids.com/codeine.

            When talking to Ethan Butler, I asked him what he thought the effects of purple drank where. He said, “I didn’t think there really was any effects. I thought it was just cough syrup and the effects where the same as any other cough medicine; it makes you drowsy and fall asleep.”

The illegal use of codeine syrup is drinking it as a recreational drug. Codeine is not something you should be using unless prescribed by a doctor. Some effects of using codeine are slurred speech, the desire to lean, and everything slowing down. Side effects of purple drank are that your respiratory system, as well as the liver, get hit the hardest.

            I talked to Mike Scola about his thoughts on purple drank. “Before, I didn’t really know how dangerous it was. People were talking about it in the open so I assumed it wasn’t a big thing.” When I asked Mike if he would consider trying the drink, he said he wouldn’t and doesn’t intend on trying it.

            Although many rappers talk about how much they lean, sometimes they lean too far.  For example, Pimp C, who wrote songs like pourin’ up, which is about purple drank, was found dead December 4, 2007. His death was due to promethazine/codeine effects.

            When I asked Mr. Anthony Scola, a local parent, about the drink, he said, “Never heard of it. It wasn’t around when I was younger and I don’t really look much into illegal drugs.” Hearing this answer wasn’t too surprising, as purple drank is a rising drug in our time right now.  The first real time purple drank was introduced to the public was in a Three 6 Mafia song, "Sippin on Some Syrup".

            Although the use of purple drank in America is steadily increasing, the dangers of it.need to be known  Purple drank can lead to death, liver failure and respiratory failure.  It is not something to be messing around with. It’s a drug, and if not used properly, it is fatal.