Taking sizzurp can put users in a euphoric state. This high can come with severe consequences, however. Because codeine is an opiate, it can be highly addictive if abused. Side effects of purple drank abuse include:
raspy voice
drowsiness
slower heart rate
slurred speech
seizure
lack of coordination
Cases of Cough Medicine Abuse
Dr. Cynthia Lewis-Younger, the medical director at Florida Poison Information Center in Tampa, Florida, said she sees abuse of cold and cough medicines every day, with about 500 cases reported last year. Dr. Lewis-Younger said that this mixture could lead to death if you take enough of it. There has recently been a dangerous cocktail mix of soda and cough syrup laced with codeine making headlines in the music world.
Results from a National Youth Risk Behavior Survey report that many high school teens continue to engage in risky drug related behaviors, which can lead to death. The four leading causes of death in young people aged 10-24 years old are:
car crashes
other unintentional injuries
homicide
suicide
The majority of these deaths are drug-related.
“We have seen a concerning increase in clients who abuse cough syrup and other over-the-counter medicines,” said Ryan Johnston, the Admissions Director of Cornerstone Recovery Center.
“We take extra care with those clients because there is greater accessibility to this medication. We often spend more time with these clients because medicinal drug abuse doesn’t carry the harsh social stigma when compared to that of illicit drugs like marijuana or cocaine.”