Drug users are known to do crazy things. Just go over the morning papers or tune in to cable TV. You’ll learn of people of jumping off buildings, burning down their own homes or assaulted members of their own family when under the influence of illicit substances.

And it seems it doesn’t really matter what drug these users are high on. By and large, their mental faculties are affected, and consequently impairing their decision-making and judgment. But there are certain substances you wouldn’t believe people will use just to get that instant fix.

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Can You Get Addicted to Embalming Fluid?

You’ve probably heard of people getting high on paint and nutmeg. These might sound a bit exotic considering the availability of other substances users can be hooked on. But being addicted to embalming fluid? Yes, it’s the same chemical being used to treat corpses. Unknown to many, it is being used for recreational purposes, specifically for those who want to get a hit. And this has been going on for a long time now.

Statistics show that the use of cigarettes laced with phencyclidine (PCP), marijuana stick, embalming fluid and crack cocaine – commonly referred to as “fry” on the street – has now become a major health problem. Although numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of crack cocaine, limited research has been done on crack users who also consume other substances such as fry. But what has become alarming is that the use of fry, particularly in northeastern parts of the United States, has dramatically increased specifically among the youth within recent years.

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Getting High on Embalming Fluid

Embalming fluid cannot be taken in its pure form. What users actually do is to dip their marijuana or tobacco cigarettes in the substance in order to enhance the “high” they are getting. This is referred to as the “love boat experience.” Although users think they are taking in embalming fluid, what they may really be smoking is formaldehyde, ethanol, and methanol, which is basically used for the dissolution of PCP. The side effects are almost the same: delusions, difficulty in concentrating and a sense of agitation. Further analysis, however, is still needed to confirm these suspicions.

There are many ways in which PCP can be taken in. It can be ingested orally, smoked, snorted or injected. All it takes is about 2 to 5 minutes to feel the effects of the substance, particularly if it is either snorted or sprinkled in marijuana, mint or parsley and then smoked. It will then take another 4 to 6 hours before the effects of PCP will wear off. On the other hand, there are those who prefer dipping their marijuana cigarettes in the substance, while others press them into pills or put them in capsules. When taken by mouth, the effect of the PCP will last for 6 to 24 hours.

What PCP actually does is to disrupt the functioning of receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate. This has a major impact on the brain because glutamate largely influences the perception of pain, memory, learning, as well as emotion. Moreover, PCP also affects the actions of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which releases the euphoria experienced during drug use.

Embalming Fluid: A Carrier of PCP

Government investigations reveal that Phencyclidine, commonly referred to as PCP, is a versatile hallucinogen that is being clandestinely manufactured. Data shows that as the level of crack cocaine use increases, so has the rise in the popularity of PCP. It has been the substance of choice among users primarily because the chemicals needed to produce it can be easily purchased and are very cheap. Moreover, you do not have to be a chemist nor need sophisticated equipment to manufacture the drug.

PCP comes in two forms – liquid and powder. The liquid form is produced by dissolving the phencyclidine base in a highly flammable solvent such as ether. This is the process used because phencyclidine cannot be dissolved in water. On the other hand, manufacturing PCP in powder form requires hydrochloride (HCI) gas to be bubbled into or concentrated HCI acid is added to the liquid.

Phencyclidine hydrochloride, in its pure form, is a white crystal-like powder that easily dissolves in water. At this state, it can be compressed into tablets. But since PCP is produced mostly in makeshift laboratories, it usually contains contaminants. As a result, its color varies from Tan to Brown. Its consistency, on the other hand, ranges from a powdery form to a gummy mass.

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Embalming and Gothic Effect

A lot of people might have been asking why some individuals abuse embalming fluid. What could be in it that makes them develop an addiction to it?

In an article published by BBC News, it was learned that the substance’s gothic effect has been the main reason why some are addicted to it.

A doctor from the New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Julie Holland, pointed out that with these individuals’ curiosity on how it feels being dead, they try using embalming liquid. Although it sounds morbid, its “gothic appeal” has made its way into someones desiring to somehow experience death while still alive.

Embalming Fluid Drug Questions

Do you have a lot of questions about the embalming liquid used as a drug? Do you want to know more about this substance?

Want more information about how Chapters Capistrano can help? Feel free to call 949-276-2886 and one of our addiction specialists will help get the information and help you need.