I always that this a southern/black stereotype myth.
It bothers me that such a thing really exists.
I remember a nude scene with Josie Davis, of "Charles in Charge" fame, where she's running around trying to protect her cough syrup bottles that the title character, Sonny, is breaking with reckless abandon.
I guess it wasn't as silly as I thought. But, I couldn't see cough syrup as addictive.
I guess I don't understand addiction, addicts or their substances at all. Not that I care to.
Though I am addicted to watching those endemic to the above in AVIs.