Lean (drug)

Lean

Type	Polysubstance drink
Region of origin	Southern United States
Introduced	1960s
Colour	Purple, red, green, or yellow; varies based on cough syrup brand and soda mixer
Ingredients	Opioid cough syrup, soft drink
Related products	Dextromethorphan syrup

Lean or purple drank (known by numerous local and street names) is a polysubstance drink used as a recreational drug. It is prepared by mixing prescription-grade cough or cold syrup containing an opioid drug and an anti-histamine drug with a soft drink and sometimes hard candy. The beverage originated in Houston as early as the 1960s and is popular in hip hop culture, especially within the Southern United States.^[1] Codeine/promethazine syrup is usually used to make lean, but other syrups are also used.

Users of lean are at risk of addiction, and serious complications include respiratory depression, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest. Lean is especially dangerous when consumed with alcohol.