THE INTRODUCTION to Barbados of a decades-old home-made concoction used mainly by young people in the United States to get a high is causing serious concern for health officials.
In fact, well placed sources said the situation was potentially so grave that through the Barbados Pharmacy Council, steps were being taken to have legislation amended so the principal ingredient would no longer be available over the counter at gas stations and supermarkets, even to children.
The mixture comes from the combination of cough syrups containing the drugs codeine and promethazine, Sprite or Mountain Dew with optional fruit flavoured candy to leave an aftertaste on the tongue. Among youth the concoction is known as “purple drank”, “sizzurp”, “lean”, “purple jelly, “dirty Sprite” or “syrup”.
According to one United States news website, emergency room doctors have warned that the mixture can be deadly since it can cause seizures that can in turn lead the user to stop breathing. (RRM)
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