Could Flesh-Eating Drug 'Krokodil' Become Popular in US?

Image credit: fritscdejong on Flickr, via io9.com

October 21, 2013 - Krokodil is a deadly, nightmarish synthetic heroine. It may be just hitting the United States after becoming popular in Russia about three years ago. The effects of Krokodil are hellish: Gangrene, rotting flesh, green scaly skin, and death are just some symptoms of use.

"While methamphetamine and heroin are guaranteed to give you a slow, painful death, if you want to speed up the process, take this drug," said DEA supervisory agent Sue Thomas, as quoted by Deseret News on October 6. "If you just want to speed up and horrify the death process a little more, take this drug. It will rot you from the inside out, leaving you with gaping wounds that will leave bones exposed, horrible abscesses and it's a horrific death," she said. The same Deseret News article noted that "Recently, two cases of people using Krokodil were confirmed in Arizona. Thomas said that's concerning to Utah DEA agents." (My emphasis added.)

Even so, writer Adam Taylor says that Krokodil will not sweep America. He said so in an October 21 article in Business Insider, titled "Why Russia's Flesh-Eating Drug 'Krokodil' Won't Sweep Through America." Taylor even seems to doubt that Krokodil is in the U.S., referring to "alleged U.S. cases." Note, however, that DEA's agent Thomas acknowledged the presence of Krokodil in two confirmed cases in Arizona. Note also that on October 9 Business Insider ran an article by Michael Kelley titled "Russia's Terrifying Form Of 'Homemade Heroin' Seems To Be Spreading Across The US."

"The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has released a statement for the public to be aware of Krokodil, a drug allegedly from Russia," reported International Business Times on October 14. "Jack Riley, special agent-in-charge of DEA Chicago Field Division, said the agency was 'very concerned' about the news of patients being treated at Presence St Joseph Medical Center."

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor seems to be at odds with reality, the media and the DEA in saying that Krokodil cannot become popular ("sweep") in America. In fact, he's at odds with himself. Taylor based his October 21 argument largely on the fact that codeine, a key ingredient of Krokodil "is easy to obtain in Russia" but "In America, it isn't."

Taylor contradicts himself: On September 26, Business Insider published his article titled "Russia's Horrifying Flesh-Eating Drug 'Krokodil' Reportedly Spreads Into The United States." In that piece, Taylor wrote that "the U.S. now had its first two recorded cases of the use of Desomorphine, also known as 'krokodil.' The drug is made using readily available codeine...." (Emphasis added.)

TOP MEXICAN GOVT OFFICIALS PROTECTING DRUG CARTELS

Corrupt public officials in Mexico is nothing that raises eyebrows, but a report from By Ricardo Ravelo at Proceso tells us that the corruption in Mexico reaches higher and deeper than many previously thought. Imagine major narcotics cartels "owing" the highest officials in the US Government. That, in effect, is the situation in Mexico. The big drug traffickers of Mexico, writes Ravelo, are protected at the highest levels of Mexico's federal government. NarcoNews has excellent translation from the original Spanish and notes by Kristin Bricker. An excerpt (emphasis mine): The animosity between the heads of Federal Attorney General’s Office and the Public Security Ministry don’t just immobilize the federal government and make its crusade against drug traffickers and organized crime futile. It also shows that both institutions are so porous that the gangsters have already positioned themselves in them. The infiltration is of such magnitude that even Eduardo Medina Mora and Genaro Garcia Luna have become suspect. FULL ARTICLE at NarcoNews.com... This is serious stuff. Mexico, already a basket case of economic inefficiency and corruption, is losing out big time in the international arena. It's so bad that the Mexico stock exchange says the drug war is scaring off IPOs (Reuters). In other words, it's so bad down there that businesses in Mexico "are scrapping plans to float shares on the stock exchange for fear of raising their profile amid a brutal drug war and a surge in kidnappings, the bourse president said on Tuesday." RELATED: Narcos Infiltrate the Mexican Military High-ranking SIEDO officials detained...

Knowing Drug Slang Makes Buying Dope Easier

Have you ever been approached by a skanky character on W. Morse Avenue in Rogers Park, and he says to you, "You straight?" If you wondered why that guy was asking about your sexual orientation, you are obviously out of touch and very uncool. The skanky man was asking if you wanted to buy drugs. If you were "straight," you were okay, all set, not in the market. Let's say you were in the market for some drugs, and you said to Mister Skank, "Why yes, my good man, I believe I could use some illegal intoxicants!" Mister Skank would look at you funny and wonder whether to roll you (take you wallet) or overcharge you for some bad shit (tainted drugs). Now, let's say Mr. Skank says to you: "Look, man, I gotta a-bomb, some ac/dc, a little aeon flux, maybe you wanna do a kabuki. Or I could fix you up to geeze, and you can do it all over at the abandominiums nice and safe like." Would you know what Mister Skank jus' say'd to ya? Nah? Here's what he actually say'd: "See here, sir/madam, I can offer you a nice marijuana cigarette laced with heroin or opium (a-bomb), or a sip of some fine codeine cough syrup (ac/dc). Perhaps you would prefer LSD (aeon flux). I can set you up on a crack pipe made from a plastic rum bottle and a rubber sparkplug cover (kabuki), or maybe you just want to inhale some cocaine (geeze). In any case, you can do it all over at the abandoned row houses (abandominiums) down the street where you won't be bothered by anybody." See how much easier it is when you speak Drugs? Don't look like a fool when you score your shit on Morse Avenue. Learn how to negotiate like a pro with any drug dealer by studying the Drug Slang Dictionary. It's information you can use!