I don't think that promethazine is a recreational drug.
But i think that benzodiazepines are not recreational too and many people love them.
But I definitelly know that promethazine is very useful drug because
- It is perfect for nausea
- It is good for itching but this is good only if you don't have any levocetirizine, desloratadine etc.
- It actually has slight analgetic effects because it is nmda antagonist, perfectly weak D2 antagonist - i don't know why but antipsychotics are able to provide potent analgesia and promethazine has this ability but reduced so it's mostly background effect together with nmda antagonism.
- It's potent sedative on it's own, much more sedating than hydroxizine or diphenhydramine. If u don't have any tolerance even 12,5mg will produce comparable effects to low dose of diazepam. 25mg is good for relaxation and 50mg, 75mg, 100mg can be used as a hypnotic or to potentiate other sedative drugs and for example just 50mg of promethazine makes my benzos or opioids much more "heavy".
It is not euphoric downer like some opioids but it's potent downer with non-addictive, completely "functional" ( i mean not addictive sedation, potentiation of other drugs etc. ) antiemetic, antihistamine, dose dependent anxiolytic - sedative - hypnotic effects.
It's just a good drug to have. U won't crave it and abuse it but it's good to have, like you may have some acetaminophen or ibuprofen just in case. And this is exactly that - in case of nausea, in case of not enough benzos, in case of desire of deeper relaxation when taking opioids and in case u can't sleep.
