Lean Addiction
No matter your age, chances are you’ve heard of Lean, also known as Purple Drank. Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve probably noticed the white paper cup that shows up in so many rap videos. What often gets missed, though, is what’s actually inside that cup and how it can lead to disturbing consequences when abused.
What is Lean?
Lean is a drink made by mixing codeine-based cough syrup with soft drinks, often sweetened further with sugary sweets, and sometimes even alcohol. In the US, where certain prescription cough syrups are easier to get hold of, Lean became tied to the hip hop scene and was openly referenced by influential artists. What once seemed like an American trend quickly began to spread across the UK, with young people looking to recreate the same purple drink they saw in music videos and online.
The problem is that the same cough syrups aren’t available here. Instead, UK users have had to improvise, buying similar codeine-based medicines online and following YouTube tutorials to make their own versions. Back in 2019, The Times reported on teenagers doing just that, and as VICE later highlighted, use has only accelerated since then, raising alarms for youth workers and drug charities.
Although UK Lean isn’t exactly the same as its American counterpart, the mixture is close enough to produce similar effects. Whether mixed with alcohol or just soft drinks, it carries the same risks that have caused so much concern on both sides of the Atlantic.
Why do people use lean?
In the US, Lean is usually made with prescription cough syrup containing both codeine and promethazine. But what are they?
- Codeine is an opioid, so when taken in large doses, it slows the body down, bringing feelings of relaxation, warmth, and drowsiness.
- Promethazine, an antihistamine, adds another layer of sedation and can make a person feel detached or even lightly hallucinatory.
When mixed into a soft drink, sometimes alongside alcohol, the result is a sweet-tasting liquid that produces a heavy, almost dreamlike high.
The UK version is less straightforward. Because cough syrups with codeine aren’t available over the counter here, people often turn to cheaper cough medicines ordered online or bought illegally. These may not always contain promethazine, so the mixture is rarely identical to the American version. Instead, UK Lean tends to be made by combining codeine-based medicines with soft drinks and sweets, creating a similar flavour and many of the same euphoric, drowsy effects.
While the specific ingredients may differ across the Atlantic, the attraction is much the same. People use Lean for the escape it provides: the mixture of drowsiness, mild euphoria, and a sense of floating away from reality. But beneath the surface, both versions carry risks that are far more serious than the sweet taste might suggest.
Is Lean addictive?
In the American mix, Lean is usually made with cough syrup that combines codeine and an antihistamine like promethazine. The antihistamine isn’t really the problem here, but Codeine, on the other hand, is another story entirely.
Codeine belongs to the opioid family, and opioids have a reputation for a reason. The more often you use them, the more your body starts to expect them. What begins as an occasional drink can slip into something harder to walk away from, because once your system gets used to codeine, it doesn’t like to be without it. These are called withdrawals, and that’s why stopping suddenly can feel so rough. When someone abruptly stops codeine, the body protests, and those withdrawal symptoms are often what keep people stuck in the cycle.
So while Lean might look harmless dressed up with sweets and fizzy drinks, the addictive part is hiding in plain sight. The syrup itself is where the danger lives, and that’s what keeps people pouring another cup.
Is Lean dangerous?
Because it’s hard to separate Lean’s influence from wider drug trends, one way to explore its dangers is by looking at the data for codeine, the ingredient at the heart of the mixture.
Sadly, government data shows a clear and worrying rise in deaths linked to codeine in the UK. In the mid-1990s, recorded deaths were relatively low, with rates hovering around 0.5 per million people. But as time went on, the numbers began to climb. By 2009, the rate had more than tripled to 1.65 per million, and the trend has continued upward ever since.
The steepest increases came in the late 2010s and early 2020s. In 2013, codeine-related deaths stood at around 2.35 per million, rising steadily through the decade. By 2019, the figure had almost reached 3 per million, before spiking to 3.75 in 2020 and reaching a record 4.15 per million in 2023.
This timeline overlaps with the period when Lean was becoming more widely known and used in the UK. As hip hop culture made Lean more visible, young people began sourcing codeine cough syrups online or turning to substitutes to make their own versions. The spikes seen in the government data from the late 2010s onwards could suggest that the popularity of Lean may well have contributed to this troubling rise in codeine-related deaths.
Potential connections like these show how Lean shifts from seeming like a gimmicky drink to becoming a frightening reality.
What are the signs of lean addiction?
If you’ve made it this far into the article, chances are you’re feeling a little startled and wondering what all of this means for you or someone you care about. That reaction is completely understandable, and it’s exactly why learning the signs of Lean addiction is so important. Addictions rarely announce themselves in bold letters at the start; instead, they tend to slip in quietly, showing themselves through small changes that are easy to miss at first but become clearer over time.
Below are some of the most common signs of Lean addiction
Physical signs
- Constant drowsiness or heavy sedation, even at unusual times of day
- Slurred speech or slowed reactions that make everyday tasks harder
- Itching or persistent nausea that doesn’t seem to have another cause
- Withdrawal symptoms like sweating, shaking, or muscle aches when Lean isn’t available
- Needing larger amounts of Lean to feel the same effects as before
Psychological signs
- Cravings for Lean that take over thoughts and make it difficult to focus on anything else
- Anxiety or low mood when not drinking is often relieved temporarily by using again
- Difficulty concentrating, with memory lapses becoming more common
- Irritability or mood swings are linked to whether Lean has been taken recently
- A growing belief that Lean is the only way to cope or feel relaxed
If you’ve noticed any of these behaviours in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to pause and reflect on how Lean is being used right now.
Do I have a lean addiction?
We don’t encourage or accept any form of recreational drug use, but the reality is that people do it, and there’s little that can stop them. If that’s the case, and you’ve been using Lean recreationally, it’s vital to check in with yourself. Like any addiction, Lean has a way of disguising itself. It can feel like just a relaxing drink or something harmless because rappers and influencers talk about it. But the truth is, addiction rarely announces itself clearly at first.
Sit down, take a moment, and answer these questions as honestly as you can:
- Do you find yourself craving Lean when you don’t have it?
- Have you started needing more Lean to feel the same effects as before?
- Do you feel unwell, anxious, or restless when you go without Lean?
- Is Lean starting to interfere with your responsibilities at work, school, or home?
- Have you hidden your Lean use from friends or family?
- Do you feel like Lean is the only way you can properly relax or unwind?
If you’ve answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it could be that Lean is already seeping into your life in ways you hadn’t noticed. This is where professional support becomes vital, helping you recognise the problem for what it is and giving you the tools to take back control.
Where can I find help for Lean addiction?
Trying to figure out where to turn for help with Lean addiction can feel overwhelming. One quick online search throws up thousands of options, some good, some less so, and it’s not always clear which ones are genuinely suited to your needs. That confusion alone can be enough to make people put off seeking help altogether.
If this sounds familiar, know that you don’t have to face it alone. Detox Plus UK offers confidential advice and can guide you and your loved one toward the best detox and rehab services across London and the wider UK. With access to 89 approved clinics, we can help you find a path to recovery that feels right for you.
Even if you or your loved one aren’t ready to start today, simply knowing that support is there can make all the difference when the time does come. Contact us to begin the process of recovery. We’re ready to take your call.
References
- i am deon. “HOW to MAKE LEAN TUTORIAL #PlutoTaughtMe.” YouTube, 20 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=homDCw8-U8Q. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
- Das, Shanti. “Teens Make ‘Purple Drank’ Legal High from £4 Cough Syrup.” Thetimes.com, The Sunday Times, 6 Apr. 2019, www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/teens-make-purple-drank-legal-high-from-4-cough-syrup-dxwfn2lbs. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
- Garcia, Francisco, and Emmanuel Onapa. “The Worrying Rise of Lean in the UK.” VICE, 27 Aug. 2021, www.vice.com/en/article/lean-purple-drank-abuse-uk/. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
- Peechakara, Basil V., and Mohit Gupta. “Codeine.” Nih.gov, StatPearls Publishing, 28 Feb. 2024, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526029/.
Office for National Statistics. “Deaths Related to Drug Poisoning in England and Wales.” Ons.gov.uk, Office for National Statistics, 23 Oct. 2024, www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2023registrations.
