WHY MIX CODEINE AND ALCOHOL TOGETHER

   

Codeine is a mild narcotic painkiller and antitussive, or cough suppressant, which was once widely available in cough syrups with different brand names. Although it is still available, it is now a prescription-only drug, used to treat moderate or severe pain, and reduce cough in some serious illnesses.

Because codeine is already an opioid drug, it is subject to nonmedical use, diversion, and addiction. People who abuse codeine to get high report various symptoms, including:-

- Nausea, 

-vomiting, 

-constipation 

-Relaxed euphoria 

-Memory loss

-Loss of coordination and motor skills 

-Fatigue or sleepiness

Alcohol use disorder is one of the most serious substance abuse problems in the world. Studies show that millions of people ages 18 and older struggle with alcohol use disorder. 
NOTE: This does not count other forms of  problems associated with drinking, including heavy drinking, which can also cause poisoning, liver damage, and other harm.

People who struggle with alcohol use disorder compulsively consume alcohol, and are unable to control how much they drink, and as a result, experience withdrawal symptoms when they do not consume alcohol. Intoxication from alcohol causes:
- A false sense of relaxation and euphoria 
- Increased sociability 
- Poor decision-making 
- Decreased cognitive ability 
- Memory problems, including blackouts

Slurred speech Blurry vision Loss of motor coordinationReduced reaction timesStomach upset, nausea, and vomiting

Mixing any opioid drug with alcohol is dangerous, although people often mix these drugs. It's common knowledge that alcohol notoriously increases the highs associated with opioids, as they are both central nervous system depressants and create similar relaxed, pleasant highs for a short time. However, mixing opioids and alcohol increases the risk of overdose and long-term health damage. 

Mixing codeine and alcohol is particularly popular with young people. Both alcohol and codeine are central nervous system depressants, and each will enhance the pleasurable effects, and side effects, of the other. While they work in different parts of the brain – codeine binds to opioid receptors while alcohol affects the GABA receptors – both drugs interact with neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin.

Both of these neurotransmitters are tied to mood, so when they are more available to the brain, the person feels better and happier. However, once the drugs wear off, the reduction in these neurotransmitters can lead a person to feel depressed; the reward system, fed primarily by dopamine, may cause a person to compulsively seek out the drugs that made them feel good in the first place. This leads to addiction.

The mixture of cough syrup and alcohol originated in Houston, Texas, in the 1990s, especially among performing music artistes. 

While many rap and hip hop artistes still popularize this mixture, DJ Screw in the US, is considered the creator of the concoction. His bass-heavy, slowed-down remixes of hip hop music are closely associated with the relaxed intoxication that comes from drinking codeine syrup mixed with alcohol, also known as purple drank, lean, Texas tea, or sizzurp.

DJ Screw’s influence, both in music and drug form, spread across the US in no time due to his large fan base. The artist himself died from an overdose of the codeine and alcohol mixture in 2000. A few years later, the codeine syrup control regulation changed the scheduling of codeine to make it harder to acquire, but already damage through pop culture had been done. Rappers like Lil Wayne still sing about the drink, which sometimes involves the addition of hard candy and soda to enhance the syrupy flavor. About two decades later, its sad to note that the deadly cocktail continue to be more popular among adolescents and young adults.

There are several serious side effects associated with combining codeine and alcohol. In the best case, a person who consumes these two intoxicating drugs taken together may result in:
Dizziness,
Drowsiness or fatigue,
Headaches,
Mental “fog”,
Trouble concentrating,
Trouble breathing,
Delayed motor skills and reaction time,
Impairment of thinking and judgment,
Memory loss etc

This combination of sedative effects can cause serious accidents, including car accidents and falls. Head injuries, broken bones, and damage to internal organs can all occur due to an accident while intoxicated.

One of the most serious short-term risks from mixing even a small amount of CODEINE WITH ALCOHOL is a dangerous RESPIRATORY DEPRESSANT. This means that a person will take shallower breaths, breathe less often, or breathe irregularly. 

Respiratory depression reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the brain and body, which can cause long-term damage to major organ systems, lead to a coma, or cause death when the brain shuts down.

Taking too much of an opioid (like codeine syrup) alone can cause respiratory depression, but mixing codeine and alcohol greatly increases the risk of this deadly side effect. Some people have accidentally overdosed by taking codeine as prescribed, then consuming a few alcoholic beverages. When a non-opioid drug like alcohol is involved in an opioid overdose, the condition becomes harder to treat.

According to scientific report by DAWN, in 2010, there is an increase in emergency room admissions due to a combination of opioids and alcohol. Combining these drugs led to more serious outcomes, including long-term hospital stays.

LONG-TERM HARM FROM CODEINE AND ALCOHOL

Abusing codeine and alcohol increases the risk of liver and kidney damage. 

ALCOHOL ABUSE by itself is one of the leading causes of liver damage. codeine, when added to alcohol, adds to stress on the liver, which spills over into kidney damage too.

The combination of alcohol and codeine can also cause damage to the gastrointestinal system, increasing the risk of abdominal bloating, inflammation leading to colitis or other conditions, ulcers, indigestion, and malnutrition.

Mixing alcohol and codeine, or any other combination of intoxicating substances, can lead to addiction and dependence. Thankfully, you can get help overcoming addiction and drug abuse before long-term harm occurs. Recovery is possible for anyone.