Krokodil Cases Reported in Arizona

Health officials have reason to be concerned about the arrival of a drug that can eat flesh right down to the bone; until now the drug was thought to only be present overseas. The drug, known as “Krokodil” (desomorphine), has surfaced in Arizona with two reported cases of use. Krokodil is a heroin-like drug that is made with caustic chemicals and codeine; the drug is less expensive and extremely dangerous, according to USA Today.

Russia has been battling with Krokodil use for about ten years, due to the fact that codeine can be purchased over-the-counter throughout the country. Krokodil has a similar high to heroin, but, is shorter acting and costs about three times less than heroin.

Krokodil gets it name because when the drug is injected it destroys tissue, turning the skin scaly and green, giving it a crocodile-like appearance. This phenomena occurs because makers of the drug mix codeine-based headache pills with gasoline, paint thinner, alcohol or iodine in order to synthesize the codeine into desomorphine. The impurities can cause blood poisoning, festering sores and abscesses.

“As far as I know, these are the first cases in the United States that are reported,” said Frank LoVecchio, the Co-Medical Director at the Banner Good Samaritan Poison & Drug Information Center. “So we’re extremely frightened.”

If the use of Krokodil spreads throughout the country it will surely give methamphetamine a run for its money when it comes to the “worlds most dangerous drug.”

Related articles

• Krokodil, Flesh-Eating Drug, Makes First US Appearance; Causes Gangrenous, Scaly Green Skin (medicaldaily.com)
• Flesh-rotting 'krokodil' drug emerges in USA (usatoday.com)