Justin Bieber is reportedly being urged to go to rehab for an addiction to 'sizzurp' and prescription pills, sources told TMZ.
Is Justin Bieber hooked on "sizzurp"?
In the wake of the troubled teen idol's DUI arrest in Miami, reports are circulating that the singer's handlers want to put him in rehab for an addiction to the homemade party drink, commonly a mixture of prescription drugs codeine and promethazine sweetened with soda and Jolly Ranchers. Bieber is reportedly also abusing prescription pills.
It's entirely possible to be addicted to the drink, which produces a slowed-down, sleepy high, experts say.
Justin Bieber (r.), shown driving a yellow Lamborghini before his arrest with model Chantel Jeffries beside him, will be charged with DUI for 'a combination of alcohol and narcotics,' Miami police told the Daily News.
Codeine, often the main ingredient in sizzurp, "is very addictive," said Dr.Joseph Lee, medical director for Hazelden youth services in Minneapolis.Though codeine is not as strong as other opiate drugs, combining it with promethazine, an antihistamine that affects breathing, "can affect everything from cognition to coordination," he said.
Other times sizzurp drinkers may turn to stronger syrups that contain hydrocodone, said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, chief medical officer at Phoenix Houseaddiction centers.
"It's impossible to know which one Beiber could have used, but they're both dangerous, both addictive," he said.
Lil Wayne, known to be a fan of sizzurp, can be seen in videos mixing the drink.
When the drink is mixed with alcohol or combined with other prescription drugs that can slow down breathing, like Xanax, results can be fatal, experts agreed.
"There have been some reports of people dying because they stopped breathing," Lee said.
The homemade party drink sizzurp usually consists of prescription cough syrup, soda such as Sprite, and candy.
Sizzurp, also called "lean," "purple drank" or "water," gained popularity in the '90s and '00s because of its mention in hip-hop lyrics by Southern artists like Three 6 Mafia.
Last year rapper Lil Wayne, who's made no secret of his love of sizzurp, suffered a series of hospitalizations after seizures reportedly related to his codeine use.
As a result the drug is well-known among people Bieber's age and even younger, Lee said.
"I'm not blaming the music itself," he said, "but we need to be more responsible about messaging to children."
Abusing sizzurp "is not a widespread problem, as far as I can tell," said Kolodny, "(but when) you've got pop stars or rappers who are known to be users you've got to be worried about young people emulating.
"In some ways (Beiber) is an inadvertent celeb endorsement of a very dangerous behavior."
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