Mother who lived in fear of son getting high on embalming fluid now pushing for law change
By Aaron Thomas
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RALEIGH, North Carolina (WRAL) — A bill meant to curb the use of embalming fluid as a drug made its way to debate Wednesday in the North Carolina General Assembly.
The Rakim Shackleford Act, which was introduced March 6, would regulate and label embalming fluid as a controlled substance if it passes.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Ken Fontenot (R, Nash) said embalming fluid is particularly dangerous due to how accessible it is.
“[It’s] accessible and inexpensive, compared to other drugs,” Fontenot said. “It’s super powerful.”
Jeff Hill, Wilson County Substance Prevention Coalition Executive Director, said the high from embalming fluid is similar to being on PCP.
“Embalming fluid can be used as a carrier agent for PCP. It can be diluted into embalming fluid to be used in that way as well,” said Hill. “It tells people they have super human strength.”
Katina Shackleford-Wright is aware of the dangers embalming fluid poses. Katina, whose son is the bill’s namesake, said the highs from the fluid made her son hallucinate and act volatile.
“I was living in fear, trying to protect myself,” Shackleford-Wright said. “When he wasn’t high, he was good, but when they get high off this embalming fluid, it makes them a monster.”
Katina shot her son when he tried to kill her after he got high on the fluid. Shackleford-Wright said she had tried everything and didn’t know what to do.
“When the police would come get him, it’s labeled poison. When we went to the hospital, they were like ‘Did you call poison control?’ Its embalming fluid, I need help,” Shackleford-Wright said.
Fontenot hopes the bill’s inspiration will be a reason it gets passed.
“I have no doubts it will pass, because of where it comes from,” Fontenot said. “One person dying, one child being killed by this substance is too much, and it’s not just one, its many. One is too much and we need to do something.”
Shackleford-Wright wants the legislation passed to prevent families like hers from being torn apart.
“I don’t want any parent in the predicament me and my family were in,” Shackleford-Wright said.
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