A flesh-eating drug that became popular in Russia has made its way across the ocean and to a Chicago suburb.
Dr. Abhin Singla of Presence St. Joseph Medical Center said the Joliet, Ill., facility this week treated three patients who said they used the drug known as “krokodil.”
The substance is similar to morphine, Singla said, and possesses some of the same properties as methamphetamine. However, it’s cheaper to obtain, and like meth, users can make it with codeine and everyday products such as gasoline and paint thinner.
Krokodil, which is the Russian word for crocodile, causes gangrene and abscesses on the user’s body, Singla said, noting it has maimed his patients’ arms and legs.
Source: NBC News