There’s nothing new about lean/barr/purple drank/syrup. People have been misusing codeine for a long time and the resurgence of its use in Houston started in the late 1980s.
What’s interesting about this is this “screwed culture”, in which codeine cough syrup is central. It has its own music, language, clubs, etc. It has a lot of parallels with the psychedelic acid subcultures of the 60s.
It’s a great example of a tribe within the culture of addiction.
Published by Jason Schwartz
I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I currently serve as the Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care for a healthcare system. I've also served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another hospital. I'm also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.
Views expressed here are my own.
Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.
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