A high-end manufacturer of the prescription, Actavis, has recently sworn to eliminate further production of the potent syrup due to its glorified abuse in the rap world.
Over consumption of codeine, although particularly prominent in rap culture, has served youth of all backgrounds as a relatively inexpensive method to get high. In fact, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a survey this year, which found that one in ten American teenagers use promethazine with codeine as a recreational drug in the form of a mixed beverage called “sizzurp” or “lean”.