Krokodil (Desomorphine): The flesh and skin eating drug from Russia (Pictures/images)
It’s quite unfortunate that people go to the extent of cooking codeine, paint thinner, gasoline, hydrochloric acid, iodine and the red phosphorous from matchbox strike pads, just to get high.
Just imagine the side effects of this mixture
Credit: France 24
A devastating drug is sweeping Russia and taking out addicts one by one, but not before bringing about a slow, painful, flesh-eating death. Desomorphine, known by its street name krokodil, delivers a very powerful high similar to that of heroin. It is highly addictive, sedative and a cheap substitute for heroine.
Many addicts use the drug just once and they are hooked.
Krokodil is a very toxic and dangerous drug that gets its name because it produces dark, scaly patches of skin on the user that resemble that of a crocodile.
Because codeine is sold over the counter in Russia and the other ingredients are easy to obtain, making krokodil is easy for those who know how to whip up the concoction.
The liquid produced by a batch is injected using a needle. It’s no secret that heroin is a major problem in Russia, but it is quickly replacing heroin as a drug of choice among users. The drug has a more powerful high, which lasts between an hour and a half to two hours, and it is far cheaper than heroin.
Krokodil is so toxic, it actually creates a flesh-eating disease among those who abuse the drug. The drug eats away at the skin creating terrible abscesses. It also causes teeth to rot and fall out and it attacks the liver, bones, skin and other internal organs.
This is not surprising when you consider the ingredients. Anyone who ingests gasoline, paint thinner, and red phosphorous is signing their own death warrant.
In fact, the life expectancy of those who abuse krokodil is one to two years.
Also, many people who abuse krokodil share dirty needles, which increases the spread of diseases like HIV.
Withdrawal from krokodil is extremely painful because once someone has been using it for even a short time, they will go through the excruciating process of withdrawal if they try to stop taking the drug.
While heroin withdrawal lasts about one to two weeks, withdrawal from desomorphine lasts from four to six weeks and it is unbearably painful. Most users will quickly return to the drug to be relieved from the withdrawal symptoms.
This is just a minor effect of krokodil Down pointing backhand indexDown pointing backhand index
Krokodil is also called the zombie drug baby some health experts because it completely zombifies its victims.
Edited by Dr Udomoh
Featured Image: Pinterest
