Living in Atlanta and being a part of the music industry, you get a chance to see trends become trends. If you hover around the scene long enough, you can see something about to takeoff that maybe be a nothing-burger to someone else at the moment.
I felt that way when it came to codeine. The now extremely popular drug started off as an underground thing that only a few really knew or did intially.
I was first exposed to the habit while travelling back and forth to Dallas Texas in the mid-2000’s. Then, artists like Paul Wall, Dj Mike Watts and Mike Jones were keeping up a tradition started by Dj Screwed. I would see them walk by with tall Styrofoam cups, taking sips every few seconds. Someone had to tell me what they were doing. Growing up in Boston, it wasn’t something people did. Or that I knew about.
While lean was a Texas staple, the habit of pouring codeine in a cup and mixing it with something like Sprite and adding candy like Jolly Ranchers for flavor, was happening in Philadelphia too. Beanie Sigel’s second album, B. Coming featured a song with Bun B called “Purple Rain” where two spoke about their penchant for sipping slow.
When the Texas music scene made it to MTV crowd, you began to hear more about the use of “syrup” as it was commonly known then in music and saw it music videos. It wasn’t long after that I would begin to see people in regular, everyday life doing.
Today, brands will actually advertise using “double cups,” never once thinking what that actually symbolizes. Think about. People are personalize double cups now. Codeine syrup, lean, drank, or whatever you want to call it at the moment has become as casually used as any other drug right now.
Even as the popularity grew, many longtime users in Hip-Hop such as Gucci Mane and Lil Keke kicked their habit for various reasons. As a younger generation begins to make their self known, they’re picking up the habit as well. But with way different results.
Still, drinking codeine has become the worst kept secret around.
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding codeine. A majority of it comes from the name. Depending on what part of the country you are in, we could be talking about lean, drank or syrup. However you chop it up, it’s codeine.
Recreational use of prescription drugs, opioid abuse in particular has been on the rise in the country over the last decade. The lists of deaths from the hands of prescription pills run to longer than Blue Hill Ave. When discussing the issues with abuse of perscription drugs, what rarely ever gets mentioned is what could probably be one of the most popular drugs being abused right now.
What is codeine? The exact definition of Codeine is “a narcotic pain-reliever and cough suppressant similar to morphine and hydrocodone.”
A small amount of codeine is converted to morphine in the body.
What exactly it does to a person is not exactly sure. The precise mechanism of action of codeine is not known; however, like morphine, codeine binds to receptors in the brain (opioid receptors) that are important for transmitting the sensation of pain throughout the body and brain.
This highly addictive drink that became popular through pop culture can claim Lil Wayne and Future as frequent users who have helped take syrup sipping to another level. Now, it’s normal to see some with a double cup in public. Even Justin Bieber at one point sipped.
But many have decided to take a new stance on the drink.
Recently, rappers like Sacramento artist Mozzy have taken to social media to not only announce that they are quitting the habit, but encouraging others to join the movement.
Death, nor criticism is enough to make some people turn their cups over. To be honest, the habit is too hard to quit.
Knowing the pitfalls hasn’t stopped the drug from becoming the most noticeable addiction out right now. While we openly discuss the problems with pill abuse, somehow the fact that everyone from teens to adults walk around with styrofoam cups full of a drug so addictive that it sits as a schedule II drug.
Asking people, “What’s in your cup” doesn’t become an issue until someone dies from apparent use. The conversation became social media chatter again this past weekend with the passing of Chicago rapper Fredo Santana.
Santana made his name when the Chicago drill scene went global thanks to Chief Keef. Santana, along with Chief Keef and other artists could often be seen with a Styrofoam cup in hand, taking slow sips every few seconds.
Santana actually kicked the habit months ago after going through treatment for kidney failure.
Fredo was found passed out in his Los Angeles home by his girlfriend. The cause of was kidney failure. Many speculate that it was from repeated use of codeine.
His death sparked another round of artists announcing that their done with the habit, but there’s still a casualness about the use of codeine syrup that will leave many wondering, “what’s the big deal?”
https://youtu.be/a7oHSp6f5rg
To be honest, most people wouldn’t know if a person in their life was drinking codeine syrup or high off it. If you’re not someone who has used it or ever witnessed anyone on it, then spotting it out might be hard.
The Houston staple went universal thanks to pop culture. Even though popular brand Activis has been out of production for years, the popularity of drank has actually picked up somehow.
If you’re a parent, that should make you nervous. The downside to the trippy high you can get from the drug is death. Either slow or quick, but death it is.
The list of personalities whose death has been tied to drank will read like a “who’s who” of the music industry.
Yet, despite the health concerns, plenty have tried to benefit of the new trend.
What is it about drank that keeps some pouring up, while others are racing to pour out.
CashColorCannabis.com decided to take on codeine use and abuse. Through conversations with current and former users and health care professional’s, rappers and more we take a look at why this deadly habit is hard to kick.