Purple Drank is a slang term for a recreational drink combining over the counter cough syrups (such as Robitussin DM) to a soft drink (usually Sprite, Mountain Dew or 7-Up) and a candy – generally Jolly Ranchers. The purplish tint of the drink comes from the dyes in the cough syrup. The candy, soft drink and cough syrup combo creates a quick tension or aggression “cure.” An extra-strength version of the drink is to use prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine and promethazine which teens order from online pharmacies or borrow from their medicine cabinets.
A University of Texas study found that 8.3% of second school students in Texas took codeine syrup to get high. The drug trend is most popular in the South (particularly Texas and Louisiana) and is celebrated in rap songs. Beware: only 45 percent of teens believe that abusing cough medicine to get high is risky. Talk!
Dangers: In large doses the combination can cause hallucinations as well as drowsiness, an inability to concentrate, slowed physical activity, constipation, nausea, vomiting, and slowed breathing. Just a single drink could be lethal. Overdosing on prescription syrup is potentially fatal.