Krokodil Drug Trend – Substance Abuse

What Is Krokodil Drug?

The narcotic krokodil drug is a semi-synthetic drug used as a cheap alternative to heroin.

It is commonly used over the territory of the former USSR (Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and others). [1]

Unfortunately, relatively little is understood about the physical effects of krokodil.

“Krokodil,” has recently been featured in news reports alleging its presence in parts of the United States. [2]

Krokodil drug gets its name from the scaly, gray-green dead skin that appears at the site of injection.

The flesh damaged by krokodil becomes gangrenous, and, in some cases, limb amputation has been required to save a user’s life.

Krokodil is a Schedule I substance in the U.S., indicating high abuse potential and no accepted medicinal use.

Desomorphine (dihydrodesoxymorphine) is an injectable opioid derivative of codeine.  On the street and online, the drug is known as:

• Krokodil
• Crocodile
• Croc
• Krok
• Russian Magic
• Poor Man’s Heroin

Harmful Effects of Krokodil Drug

Desomorphine is about ten times more potent than morphine and more potent than heroin in its pure form.

The drug’s onset is speedy, but its action is short, which leads to numerous administration and a heightened risk of developing physical dependence.

Krokodil is engaging to those endeavoring a euphoric high because it is cheap, nearly easy to make or obtain, produces a high similar to that of heroin,

and delivers powerful sedative and pain-relieving effects in the user.  In addition, krokodil has a swift onset of about 2-3 minutes and lasts for about 2 hours.

The drug, while cheap, produces a relatively short high, and various media sources have covered stories about addicted individuals

who need to regularly administer the medication to maintain their high and avoid withdrawal. [3]

Users are stated to be able to make krokodil in roughly 45 minutes with codeine and minimal tools.

Users attempting to create desomorphine often combine several toxic ingredients like hydrochloric acid, household cleaners, and gasoline with codeine.

They may also seldom add cigarette ash to balance the pH.

Krokodil Drug’s Effects Can Be Drastic. Injection Of The Drug Can Cause:

• Skin Infections
• Soft-Tissue Infections
• Thrombophlebitis: Inflammation of the veins
• Skin Ulceration
• Gangrene
• Necrosis: Death of living tissue

Krokodil Drug as A Zombie Drug

Krokodil has been called a “zombie drug” by the media.

This is because most descriptions of drug use by the media have shown addicted individuals who have gangrene or eschars  (dead patches of skin)

on their bodies.

With so many hideous side effects, you may be questioning why anyone would use such a deadly drug.

But, unfortunately, from a drug addict’s point of view, things are not so simple.  There are already over a million krokodil users in Russia.

People use krokodil because it gives the same effects as heroin yet costs around a tenth of the price (4).

So for an addict who could find that money is one of the most significant obstacles to their drug habit, krokodil seems like the perfect option.

The other thing to acknowledge is that addiction is a disease itself. Users who are affected by a substance slowly build up a tolerance to its effects.

This means that they need to take larger and larger doses to accomplish the same buzz.

Unfortunately, this often leads people from less severe drugs to more hazardous substances such as cocaine and heroin.

For instance, a heroin user who builds up a tolerance can turn to Krokodil, which is three times more powerful than heroin.

Treating Krokodil Drug Users

Because of the severity of the side effects, krokodil symptoms can be challenging to treat.

Medication may be needed to combat any infections or gangrene caused by the user’s open wounds and exposed flesh.

In addition, badly affected limbs may need to be amputated.

Once a user has knocked their krokodil addiction, a severe feat that needs specialist Krokodil addiction treatment – they may need surgery to repair their body.

For instance, exposed bones, open muscle, missing skin may need surgery to improve, and skin grafts to cover the afflicted areas.

Signs and Symptoms of Krokodil Drug Use

Today, with the advent of the internet, the processing and marketing of designer drugs have become very sophisticated.

People who inject krokodil present a great variety of serious signs and symptoms, including:

• Thrombophlebitis: Inflammation of the veins
• Ulcerations: The formation of a break on the skin or the surface of an organ
• Skin Infections
• Soft Tissue Infections
• Gangrene and Necrosis: Death of body tissue due to a lack of blood flow or serious bacterial infection

Limb amputation has been necessary to save a user’s life, quickly evolving to limb amputation and death.

Emerging Krokodil Drug Trend

This emerging trend of synthetic drugs is the new frontier for drug enforcement and drug rehab.

It will be a challenge if it is available on the streets as a low-cost alternative to heroin.

Moreover, recipes spread around easily on the internet through forums, where drug users share knowledge. Thus, the emergence of the krokodil drug is horrifying.

It is a dirty street drug with extreme effects. Its trend is somewhat similar to the emergence of bath salts,

a class of synthetic designer drugs that use new compounds to mimic the effects of amphetamines.

The drugs are extremely addictive, hard on users’ bodies, and can bring on psychosis.

Designer drugs are usually produced by creating analogs to existing drugs to avoid existing regulations and controls.

Designer drug ingredients such as codeine tablets, the main ingredient for krokodil, often come from China,

which means they’re cheap. According to the US State Department [4],

China has between 160,000 and 400,000 chemical companies operating legally,

illegally, or somewhere in between — an expansive estimate reflects both the industry’s size and the lack of available information.

Some of these facilities manufacture tons of chemicals every week or more than a million pills per day.

In 2016, the industry made up 3 percent of China’s national economy, with over $100 billion in profits annually.

Most of these companies are members of the vast pharmaceutical underclass, pumping out huge quantities of inexpensive generic drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients.

It’s a low-cost, low-profit business, but the barriers to entry are minimal, and the market is enormous.

This is according to the New York Times Magazine [5]. But chemicals banned in the United States often remain legal in China,

where controlling chemicals is slow and troublesome.

Cases of Krokodil Drug Use

The first U.S. cases came to light in Utah and Arizona in late September of 2013. Within the first two weeks of October, five more cases were discovered in Illinois.

In addition, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics is investigating the deaths of two men in late 2012 as being caused by krokodil.

Some of the individuals have said they learned how to manufacture the drug themselves, but in most cases, the users thought they had purchased heroin.

This is according to the Union County Public Schools (UCPS) [6].

It seems to have first appeared in Siberia and the Russian Far East around 2002. Since 2009, the amount of krokodil seized in Russia has increased 23-fold.

This is according to the article from Time Magazine [6]. In Russia, if a person does an extensive search on the internet, the list will give a list of recipes and instructions on how to cook it.

Most users are not just looking for what desomorphine is, but how they can use it.

In addition, it has spread the fastest in the poorest and most remote parts of Russia, where young people are in a constant state of boredom.

Detoxifying Your Body From Krokodil Drug At Level Up Palm Beach County

If you are addicted to drugs such as krokodil, your very first step in recovery should be to medical detox in a safe and medically supervised setting.

That is why Level Up is here for you.

Level Up Palm Beach County Detox center medically assist clients in clearing their systems of addictive substances, such as krokodil drug.

For anyone who suffers from addiction, we know that just the thought of having to stop using can cause severe mental distress.

Given that, the medical detox center will help you manage the medical detox process.

In addition, a comprehensive team prescribing medications can alleviate your withdrawal pains while monitoring your health 24 hours.

Thus, assuring both your safety and comfort.

Once detox is complete, a new doorway in treatment opens up, referred to as a residential level of care.

Here, our residential care program slowly and effectively introduces the individual into an atmosphere of therapeutic growth,

marked by Master’s level therapists, clinicians, group counselors, psychiatrists, and a community of like-minded individuals with the same aim:

to attain sobriety and live a great life.

Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in West Palm Beach

Some of the many modalities applied and practiced within our residential treatment facility are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• 12-Step Groups
• Group Therapy
• Biofeedback
• Alumni Support
• Stabilization
• Holistic Therapy

Moreover, here at Level Up West Palm Addiction Treatment, the needs of each patient are specific and personalized,

as we aim to provide comprehensive support for mental health, addiction, and dual diagnosis treatment.

Clients in our residential therapy programs will live comfortably within the facility during this crucial and fragile time.

Indeed, this supportive environment is designed to give clients 24-hour care for sobriety,

removing temptations for relapse and applying an air of recovery into every component of the treatment timeline, including krokodil drug addiction treatment.

At Level Up West Palm, we find that when clients are living in a supportive community,

especially during their early recovery process, they can truly focus on what matters most: their recovery.

Call today to speak with one of our treatment specialists if you have trouble with Krokodil drug addiction.

Our counselors know what you are going through and will answer any of your questions.