10/01/2003

Does Smoking Formaldehyde Sound Like a Good Idea to You?

By Barb Garrison, M.S., CHMM, CET

Well, it's not. "Fry," "sherms," "wetstick," "amp," and fry sticks" are common terms for marijuana cigarettes, marijuana-laced cigars, or tobacco cigarettes or cigars soaked in embalming fluid that has been laced with PCP (phencyclidine hydrochloride), a decades-old anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. Apparently, formaldehyde, methanol, ethyl alcohol and other solvents found in embalming fluid are good for dissolving PCP so that the drug can be smoked.
The use of marijuana dipped in PCP-laced embalming fluid was first reported in the early 1970s. Since then, the smokes have periodically made local and national headlines. Users smoke sherms because they're a cheap trip that makes them feel omniscient, omnipotent and generally disconnected from reality.
PCP intensifies the effects of depressants with which it is mixed and can cause hallucinations, frightening "out of body" experiences, impaired motor coordination, depression, extreme anxiety, disorientation, paranoia, aggressive behavior and violence, seizures, and respiratory arrest. Physical effects can include high fever; coughing; pneumonia; bronchitis; anorexia; brain damage; lung damage; inflammation and sores in the throat, nose, and esophagus; hear attacks; high blood pressure; kidney damage; destruction of muscle tissue; coma; convulsions; and death.
Long-term fry smokers have been known to mutter to themselves as they walk in bizarre fashions. Such fry-impaired individuals also cease their personal grooming habits and appear dirty and disheveled. Embalming fluid that collects in the spine can lead to spine deterioration and it appears to stop the maturation process.
Where do dealers get embalming fluid? According to a study by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA), the fluid generally comes from people who work in hospitals, government morgues, and, disturbingly, funeral homes. According to the study, small quantities of fluid are siphoned out of 55-gallon drums. When independent and chain funeral home directors were questioned about embalming fluid thefts or diversion, they reported that no such activity occurred at their respective establishments. Two participants in the study, however, reported break-ins at funeral homes and theft of embalming fluid.
Of course, easiest way to obtain embalming fluid is to purchase it from a chemical supply company. As with other hazardous chemicals, there are few controls over the sale and distribution of embalming fluids. What can you do to help control the availability of embalming fluid?

• Keep a close eye on the amount of embalming fluid you have on hand to make sure none of it gets "misplace."
  
• If you receive phone calls from individuals wanting to purchase formaldehyde, do not offer them any assistance. You may occasionally receive calls from women who want to use formaldehyde to strengthen their nails. Do NOT sell or give formaldehyde to people outside the funeral industry for any reason.
  
• Talk to your staff. Letting them know that you are tracking the use of embalming chemicals will reign in those that may be diverting fluid to dealers and it will make everyone more vigilant.