# By popular demand: Krokodil comes to the U.S. of A. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 27, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816 "2013-09-27T17:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/21 "2013-09-30T01:43:06Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Or for that matter, why not just do heroin? It seems like the better choice, which is not something I would have ever thought I’d say. I read that krokodil is less expensive than heroin (I think it was in one of the linked articles, possibly in the other thread.) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/22 "2013-09-30T03:52:03Z")
It’s less expensive in Siberia, where codeine is over the counter. Maybe not so much in the US, where it’s prescription only. Can’t say I’ve really analyzed the matter, and wouldn’t know where to begin anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/23 "2013-09-30T07:08:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s less expensive in Siberia, where codeine is over the counter. Maybe not so much in the US, where it’s prescription only. Can’t say I’ve really analyzed the matter, and wouldn’t know where to begin anyhow. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t krokodil-equivalents yet to be discovered that can be made with OTC ingredients in the US. It’s not exactly a high standard that needs to be achieved when “melts the flesh off your bones” isn’t a deal-breaker. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/24 "2013-10-11T02:42:44Z")
As of tonight up to 5 people in Joliet, Illinois are in the hospital due to krokodil use. Apparently, the did not cook it up themselves. It was sold to them as heroin, the difference not being apparent until bits of the users rotted up and fell off. Some people are just _evil_. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/25 "2013-10-11T09:12:11Z")
This drug renders the Chinese puzzle box (for raising hell) obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816/26 "2013-12-09T23:41:06Z")
It looks like maybe the impending epidemic in the US was overblown: [Slate article](http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/12/09/krokodil_this_supposed_new_drug_epidemic_now_seems_faker_than_ever.html). Here’s hoping that’s the case. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-popular-demand-krokodil-comes-to-the-u-s-of-a/669816.md?page=1)