Krokodil was invented as a cheap substitute for the much more expensive heroin, and as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
The literal kitchen cabinet and garage shelf concoction that is Krokodil is also known as “the zombie drug” due to the lethal combination of ingredients literally eating the flesh off of those addicted to the drug.
Originating in the more poverty stricken areas of Russia less than two decades ago, Krokodil has quickly made it’s way to Western Europe as well as rearing monstrous face here in the United States.
While ex-President Barack Obama and a Republican-controlled Congress did precious little to battle the opioid epidemic that’s the scourge of the nation, President Trump is the only leader on the national scene that done anything of consequence.
As reported by Fox13 of Salt Lake City, Utah;
President Donald Trump announced an executive order to establish a federal commission to combat America’s opioid epidemic.
The president made New Jersey Governor Chris Christie the chairman of the new commission.
The governor has been battling his own state’s opioid abuse crisis. He has signed legislation that helps regulate initial opioid prescriptions and provides insurance coverage for opioid addiction treatment.
Angela Stander, the Utah State Health Department’s Prescription Opioid Overdose Prevention Coordinator, said the president’s executive order is important for the entire country and she would like to see his commission look at and adopt some of Utah’s efforts to end the opioid crisis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports Utah is the seventh highest in the nation for opioid overdose rates. New Hampshire is reportedly No. 1. It also reports six people die from opioid abuse in Utah every week. Nationwide, 91 people die in America a day from opioid overdose.
As the Yellowstone Recovery center notes,
This substance is synthetic heroin, which first appeared in Russia and has spread to other countries around the world. What makes it appealing is it is about half the price of heroin. It is even more addictive than heroin. Many people become addicted to it after just using it once.
Possibly even more cringe-worthy is the ingredients slopped together to whip-up a batch of Krokodil. As cited by ResearchGate.net;
Codeine tablets are available in Russia’s inexpensive over-the-counter drugs. Typically, 5–10 codeine-containing tablets are boiled with a diluting agent (mostly paint thinner that may contain lead, zinc, ferric or ferrous agents, and antimony) and lighter fuel (gasoline), hydrochloric acid, iodine, and red phosphorous
Perhaps a bit more blunt and to the point;
“Krokodil” is the “drug that eats junkies”
