It goes by many names: fry, wet, wet sticks, amps, sherms, happy sticks, fried, dust, and illy to name a few. (In rough inner cities and upscale suburbs, dealers pitch in as the new drug –a potent combination of embalming fluid, tobacco, marijuana and mint leaves.) Occasionally the joints are laced with PCP (Phencyclidine) as well. Users often drift in and out of “highs” (usually last between 30-60 minutes, but there have been reports of “trips” that have lasted up to 5 hours) from frenzied fits of anger to a catatonic state. Doctors say a troop of security guards is often needed to subdue those in “illy rage”
--yelling, paranoia and hallucinating users who vehemently fight off any attempts to diagnose, treat or reason with them. Experts say PCP interferes with the mechanism in the brain that otherwise keeps a person from going beyond his or her breaking point, and that regular use can lead to chronic schizophrenia.
Whatever they are taught during long stints in rehabilitation centers, however long they’re technically “straight,” many users find it difficult to resist the temptation to start smoking up again once they return home. The scary thing with the use of “wets” is that users usually don’t know exactly what they are consuming. This may account for a variety of unanticipated or unusual symptoms experienced when using “wets.”
Product Information
Formaldehyde fumes may cause severe irritation to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and eyes. Urticaria, (hives that are pale swellings of the skin that occur in groups on any part of the skin), has been reported following inhalation of formaldehyde fumes. Repeated exposure to formaldehyde may cause dermatitis either from irritation or allergy. Intense irritation occurs in the upper respiratory passages. If abusers are able to withstand the intense irritation and become intoxicated, symptoms may include coughing, difficulty in breathing, and pulmonary edema. There is evidence that formaldehyde may cause respiratory cancers as well as other cancers.
Methanol in “wets” may cause nausea, abdominal pain, headache, abnormally slow and deep breathing. Methanol has been shown to cause visual problems that range from blurred or double vision and changes in color perception to constricted visual fields and complete blindness within 18 to 48 hours after ingestion. At low doses of PCP (1-5mg), abusers may experience lethargy, disorientation, hallucinations, and loss of coordination, euphoria and numbness. Higher doses (5-20mg) may cause excitation, confusion, ataxia, and dysarthria (speech that is characteristically slurred, slow, and difficult to produce). Even higher doses may cause coma, seizures, and death. Since the joint or cigar is treated in formaldehyde, “wets” burns more slowly than one that was not treated; therefore the users have a longer opportunity to absorb the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), solvents and PCP. Long term users of “wets” may experience dysmnesia, which is a memory disorder characterized by an inability to learn simple new skills although the person can still perform skills learned before the onset of the condition. Product information input from: Gaylene Tsipis and Earl Siegel, Co-Directors, Cincinnati Drug & Poison Information Center (1-800-222-1222).
References
- William N. Elwood, PhD. “Fry”: A Study of Adolescents’ Use of Embalming Fluid with Marijuana and Tobacco. February 1998, Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Austin Texas. web site:www.tcada.state.tx.us
- www.streetdrugs.org
- Keith A. Hawkins et al. Abuse of Formaldehyde-Laced Marijuana May Cause Dysmnesia . Journal of Neuropsychiatry 1994;6(1):67
- Kaye H. Kilburn, M.D. et al. Formaldehyde Impairs Memory, Equilibrium, and Dexterity in Histology Technicians: Effects Which Persist for Days after Exposure. Archives of Environmental Health March/April 1987 [vol. 42, (No.)]
- Ivan Spector, M.D. AMP: A New Form of Marijuana. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 46:11-November
- Gloria J. Hathway, Ph.D et al. Proctor and Hughes’ Chemical Hazards of the Workplace Fourth Edition. 1996 Published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
This warning is being sent to inform parents, prevention and treatment professionals, law enforcement, and educators of this issue. If the area you reside experienced treatment issues, hospital intakes, and/or law related reports of “wets,” please provide feedback to the OEWN manager with report information. Please distribute this information through list serves, newsletters or bulletin boards, etc. using the Ohio Early Warning Network as your source.
For additional information on the above alert contact The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities, P.O. Box 210109, 2624 Clifton Ave Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0109 Phone # 1-800-788-7254 (opt#2).
To participate in this OEWN initiative, visit www.ebasedprevention.org and fill out the OEWN registration form (listserv). Anyone in Ohio can report an issue to the Ohio Early Warning Network by calling the toll-free non-emergency InfoLine at 1-866-OhioEWN.
This alert is brought to you by the Ohio Department of Education, Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services, Division of Prevention Services, the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities
The information appearing on this alert is presented for educational purposes only. While the information published on this site is believed to be accurate, it is not intended to substitute for your own informational gathering or professional medical advice.
