What is krokodil drug used for?
Introduction The narcotic drug krokodil is a semi-synthetic drug used as a cheap alternative to heroin. With its active ingredient desomorphine it is a highly addictive and destructive drug mainly used in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Where does the drug krokodil come from?
Krokodil is a street name for desomorphine, a semi-synthetic drug that has similar effects to heroin and morphine. It’s called semi-synthetic because it is created in a chemical process but it’s made primarily from a drug, usually codeine, that comes from the opium poppy.
What are the ingredients in krokodil drug?
Krokodil is a homemade drug. It combines codeine, lighter fluids, gasoline, paint thinner, alcohol, and other ingredients, Carreno and LoVecchio say.
Why is krokodil popular in Russia?
Krokodil became popular in Russia because heroin can be difficult to obtain and is expensive. Krokodil costs three times less, and the high is similar to heroin though much shorter, usually 90 minutes.
What does krokodil do to skin?
Most notably, injecting krokodil can cause necrosis: a medical condition in which there is no blood flow to certain areas of the body, causing the living tissue to die off. Necrosis usually results in areas of the skin turning black, scaly, and unusable.
What happens if you Google krokodil?
Krokodil causes serious damage to the veins and soft tissue infections, rapidly followed by gangrene and necrosis, according to a 2013 study (PDF). The soft tissue damage happens around the injection site. The drug also seems to clump in the veins as it fails to dissolve completely in the blood.
Is krokodil legal in Russia?
In Russia, krokodil, or what is termed desomorphine, is an illicit injectable drug domestically manufactured from codeine, iodine, phosphorus, paint thinner, and lighter fuel [13]. The resulting substance is regarded as impure, creating the potential for severe injury among PWID.
Where is krokodil most popular?
What is desomorphine made from?
The starting materials for desomorphine synthesis are codeine tablets, alkali solutions, organic solvent, acidified water, iodine and red phosphorus, all of which are easily available in retail outlets, such as supermarkets, drugstores, etc. The resulting product is a light brown liquid that is called krokodil.