Some Houston residents claim that new purple-colored beverage is aimed at children

A new drink called, "Purple Stuff" is hitting stores across Texas, which many residents worry is targeting African-American children, My Fox Houston reports.

Purple Stuff is completely legal, however some community leaders in Houston claim that the beverage seeks to profit on the purple-colored drink that contains cough syrup and codeine. The concoction is used on the streets as a recreational drug and is celebrated in rap culture.

The company that manufactures the drink, Funktional Beverages, plans to expand the product to 1,200 new stores in 2011. The owner told the news source that he has changed the can label to accommodate the public's claims that the beverage targets African-Americans and the cough syrup beverage craze.

Troubled teen programs can help children who struggle with substance abuse by providing drug rehab and individualized therapy.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 5.5 percent of teens in grade 12 used cough medicine recreationally in 2008. Furthermore, 5.3 percent of 10th graders abused the medication in the same time period.