**Warning: Link to photos are extremely graphic, so proceed with caution.**
An exotic drug, krokodil, appears to have made its way from Russia to the U.S., although unconfirmed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. What seems to be the very first two U.S. cases both occurred in Arizona borders, so it’s likely that Arizona may be the epicenter of its initial spread to the states. Now that it’s concerns reach national levels, HC ASU is here to warn the American public and expose krokodil’s undeniable dangers.
Desomorphine, known by its Russian nickname “krokodil” or crocodile, is an opiate, thus falling under the same family as heroine, oxycodone, and codeine. The difference? According to a CBS News article by Michelle Castillo, “[k]rokodil has a faster onset, shorter duration of high and is more potent than morphine.”
According to a Time magazine investigation, krokodil first emerged in Serbia and the Russian Far East in about 2002, but hadn’t become a worldwide notice until 2010. According to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, approximately 1 million Russians are abusing krokodil. Sweeping across the country in the past three years, krokodil’s intense effects are overriding people’s bodies and lives.
Codeine-based pills, iodine, gasoline, paint thinner, and either alcohol or oil make up the ingredients for this homemade, flesh-eating drug. Castillo states that “[t]he finished product isn’t purified and may contain toxic substances left over from the cooking process, which cause tissue damage to the veins and flesh and can result in gangrene, or body tissue that rots and dies.” Krokodil takes one or two injections for its side effects to kick in, as well as its addictive qualities to annihilate its user.
After injection, spots on the skin become scaly and green like a crocodile, which lends the drug its street name. These disturbing, graphic photos showcase krokodil’s effects on the human body. The time it takes for physical symptoms to develop is just one month, and the damage done by krokodil is irreversible. Rotting plays a toll on the brain and liver, while limbs become paralyzed, thus resulting in amputations. The average life expectancy for an abuser of krokodil is less than two years.
Although krokodil has not been confirmed in the U.S., a growing concern lies within the subject matter. While krokodil may have reached American shores, who can tell who will get their troubled hands on this exotic, addictive, and flesh-eating drug?
Don’t let your body become krokodil’s next victim.