Ask Erowid

Ask a Question


Find an answer:

View By Category

Search Ask Erowid
Search Vaults


Enter a keyword in the search field above to look up a question or answer on a specific topic.

Off-Site Psychoactive Question Resources
  Ask Dr Shulgin

Resources at Erowid
  Plants & Drugs
  Freedom & Law
  Mind & Spirit
  Arts & Sciences
  Library / Bookstore
  What's New
  About Erowid
  .
Are PCP and Formaldehyde chemically related?
Q: After researching the vaults I still haven't been able to answer my question. The drug PCP is not Formaldehyde (Embalming fluid) but rather PCP is a totally different compound, and the mix-up is just due to slang? PCP is not extracted or derived from Embalming fluid?



Please help me answer this question, because it seems people assume you can get high off embalming fluid from your local mortician.

A: You are exactly right. Embalming fluid (as used by a mortician) is generally dilute (watered down) formaldehyde. PCP is not embalming fluid. There is no PCP in embalming fluid. PCP cannot be derived from embalming fluid. Formaldehyde and PCP are not chemically related. There is little reason to believe that formaldehyde would produce any pleasant or desireable effects when smoked.



Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen linked to nasal and lung cancer, and with possible links to brain cancer and leukemia and should not be smoked.



The confusion comes simply because somewhere along the line PCP picked up the slang name "embalming fluid". Since the confusion began, it is entirely possible, even likely, that some people have smoked formaldehyde soaked cannabis or tobacco, thinking they were getting the same "Embalming Fluid" (PCP) that they had smoked before.


Asked By : Non
Answered By : fire
Published Date : 8 / 3 / 2002
Last Edited Date : 10 / 27 / 2002
Question ID : 2990

Categories: [ PCP ] [ Chemicals ]



Ask Erowid v1.7 - Jul, 2005

(content and html © the Vaults of Erowid. Please ask permission before publicly reproducing.)