Purple drank prevalence and characteristics of misusers of codeine cough syrup mixtures

•Purple drank use was most prevalent among Native Americans and Hispanics.•Males reported purple drank use more than females.•LGBT students were more likely to have used purple drank than heterosexuals.•Students from urban areas were more likely to have used purple drank.

A mixture of codeine cough syrup with alcohol and/or a soft drink known as “purple drank” has gained media attention in recent years as a drug associated with professional athletes and southern rap music. The existing research on purple drank consumption has primarily utilized samples of African Americans residing in the Houston, Texas area. This is the first scholarly study of purple drank use outside of the Houston, Texas area among a general population of young adults, and indicates that purple drank use is not limited to African American males. The findings depict higher odds of the use of purple drank among other racial and ethnic groups, males, and homosexual, bisexual, and transgender college students from urban areas.