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Visual representation of lean (drug effects)
Substance
Updated July 11, 2025
Lean (drug effects)
Lean slows you down, making you feel relaxed and drowsy. It mixes cough syrup with soda for a sweet, sedating high.
Category
Substance
Use Case
Used recreationally for its sedative and euphoric effects.
Key Features
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Enhanced focus & alertness
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Euphoria & heightened energy
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Reduced appetite & weight loss
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Increased heart rate & blood pressure
In Simple Terms
What it is
Lean is a recreational drug made by mixing prescription-strength cough syrup (usually containing codeine and promethazine) with soda and sometimes candy. It’s also called "purple drank" because of its color. Think of it like a strong, sedating cocktail that slows down your brain and body.
Why people use it
People use lean because it makes them feel deeply relaxed, euphoric, and detached from stress or pain. It’s like hitting a "slow-motion button" for your mind and body. Some also use it to fit in socially or because they enjoy the drowsy, dreamy feeling it creates.
Basic examples
A person might drink lean at a party to feel more chilled out and less anxious.
Someone dealing with emotional pain might use it to numb their feelings temporarily.
Artists or musicians sometimes reference lean in their work, which can make it seem glamorous or cool to others.
How it works (simplified)
Lean’s main ingredients—codeine and promethazine—work like a "double sedative." Codeine is a painkiller that dulls your senses, while promethazine amplifies the drowsiness. Together, they create a heavy, floaty feeling, like sinking into a couch and not wanting to move.
Everyday risks
Slowed breathing (like your body "forgetting" to take deep breaths).
Addiction (your brain starts craving that slow-motion feeling over and over).
Poor decision-making (like driving while overly drowsy, which is dangerous).
Analogy time
Imagine your brain is a car engine. Normally, it runs at 60 mph. Lean is like pouring syrup into the gas tank—it slows everything down to 10 mph. That might feel nice at first, but over time, it can clog the engine (your body) and cause long-term problems.
Lean is a recreational drug made by mixing prescription-strength cough syrup (usually containing codeine and promethazine) with soda and sometimes candy. It’s also called "purple drank" because of its color. Think of it like a strong, sedating cocktail that slows down your brain and body.
Why people use it
People use lean because it makes them feel deeply relaxed, euphoric, and detached from stress or pain. It’s like hitting a "slow-motion button" for your mind and body. Some also use it to fit in socially or because they enjoy the drowsy, dreamy feeling it creates.
Basic examples
How it works (simplified)
Lean’s main ingredients—codeine and promethazine—work like a "double sedative." Codeine is a painkiller that dulls your senses, while promethazine amplifies the drowsiness. Together, they create a heavy, floaty feeling, like sinking into a couch and not wanting to move.
Everyday risks
Analogy time
Imagine your brain is a car engine. Normally, it runs at 60 mph. Lean is like pouring syrup into the gas tank—it slows everything down to 10 mph. That might feel nice at first, but over time, it can clog the engine (your body) and cause long-term problems.
Technical Details
What it is
Lean, also known as "purple drank" or "sizzurp," is a recreational drug beverage that combines prescription-strength cough syrup, soda, and sometimes hard candy for flavor. It falls under the category of central nervous system (CNS) depressants due to its primary active ingredient, codeine, which is an opioid. Lean is typically consumed orally and is known for its sedative and euphoric effects.
How it works
The primary mechanism of lean revolves around its key active ingredients, codeine and promethazine, which are commonly found in prescription cough syrups. Codeine is metabolized into morphine in the liver, binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, producing pain relief and euphoria. Promethazine, an antihistamine, enhances the sedative effects and mitigates nausea. The combination slows down CNS activity, leading to relaxation, drowsiness, and a sense of detachment.
Key components
The main components of lean include:
Common use cases
Lean is primarily used recreationally for its intoxicating effects, which include: