Krokodil: the terrible effects of this new and dangerous drug
The Krokodil or Desomorphine It is a homemade drug based on opiates that is up to ten times stronger than heroin and many times cheaper and toxic.
The effects of is the drug are both terrible and irreversible. The name Krokodil comes from the reaction of the drug in the person who takes it, whose skin will turn green and scaly, like that of a crocodile, among many other undesirable effects.
What is Krokodil?
Krokodil is increasingly used by drug addicts in parts of Europe as a substitute for heroin, especially in the poorer regions of Russia and Siberia.
The addiction to this drug is not very durable, since habitual consumers do not usually live more than two years since they start taking this combination of pain medications and very toxic chemicals.
Combining toxic chemicals and pain medications
Desomorphine is made at home from a combination of codeine-based tablets, paint thinner, lighter fluid, gasoline, hydrochloric acid, red phosphorus (scraped matchboxes) and iodine. The result of cooking analgesics and chemicals is a toxic and highly addictive drug.
Addicts are continually cooking the drug to make sure they can get the next dose . The liquid, caramel color, is injected into damaged areas and gangrenous giving users a "high" that will last about thirty minutes at most.
Effects
The toxic nature of these chemicals causes the skin to change color and become scaly. In consumers, the skin around the sites where the injection is made is covered with ulcers and the blood vessels rupture and cause the tissue to die. The skin is devoured by the chemical products of the drug, which rots the flesh to the bone. Teeth fall, brain damage is common and tetanus and blood poisoning is almost assured .
Reports suggest that the use of Krokodil is increasing in poor regions , as isolated parts of Russia, where heroin is hard to find. Up to 5% of drug addicts in Russia consume Krokodil or other home-made drugs. The Krokodil has higher rates of addiction and is harder to leave than heroin. Users will go through severe and painful periods of abstinence for up to one month after stopping their use, but the long-term effects of the drug will last longer. Brain damage, hepatitis, rotten teeth or amputations are some of the side effects.
A drug expanding in Europe
In Europe, despite the horrible reactions and the side effects, its consumption is increasing since 2002 . It is believed that this increase is related to the success of drug eradication programs, which have reduced the influx of heroin in countries such as Russia.
Heroin treatment also lacks public funds in the country, and it should be noted that methadone therapy is illegal in the Soviet country. Likewise, seven states of the United States have also reported cases of Krokodil consumption.
A drug that is gaining ground in the old continent and on which the health authorities have already warned the population.
