Tranq Dope: Animal Sedative Mixed With Fentanyl Brings Fresh Horror to U.S. Drug Zones

[Danmel]

PHILADELPHIA — Over a matter of weeks, Tracey McCann watched in horror as the bruises she was accustomed to getting from injecting fentanyl began hardening into an armor of crusty, blackened tissue. Something must have gotten into the supply.

Switching corner dealers didn’t help. People were saying that everyone’s dope was being cut with something that was causing gruesome, painful wounds.

“I’d wake up in the morning crying because my arms were dying,” Ms. McCann, 39, said.




What a horrifying story. What can be done about this?

No paywall, shared through my subscription.





https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/health/fentanyl-xylazine-drug.html?unlocked_article_code=naO7gRrV3BmJty5G0zu5y_sU9w4eoG3FWavwuZJOk4tE07MSaYBd_u1TKNjj_rBYMRS9bOK8hYxtnEGl-GPAA17irpno7iViclHZUL5YeZAYuzjCvuUKTXAjp9aeBV2h9Mhez2FGhjROe-3xn12_OfZSzammHl6vohTk0Q8ral6xxA9pkDkcMkxEsXKgxfr4IQX73UxyfHCDJSU3_1FgZ3gmTvdDzFXjM77SovKg83wmIiRPA3lplb1c-lsPjgo4_mK2uIrbs5qXXHXA-fVG1l-7Oegz2mtpj5Kj0vVoAqRN2F7uEWdKt51e_mKSDFHBra1fNlByb4mG4mfd68mu&smid=share-url

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. We could follow the science of what we know about drug use and addiction.

[Elessar Zappa]

2. Awful.

Such a sad story.

[Danmel]

4. Heartbreaking

Can you imagine someone who you love affected by this? How could anyone push this knowing what itbdoes to people?

[hatrack]

3. Sounds like Krokodil

Oh goody.

I haven't included any graphics on the physical effects of Krokodil injection, because you probably really don't want to see them.

EDIT

Desomorphine abuse in Russia attracted international attention in 2010 due to an increase in clandestine production, presumably due to its relatively simple synthesis from codeine available over-the-counter. Abuse of homemade desomorphine was first reported in Siberia in 2003 when Russia started a major crackdown on heroin production and trafficking, but has since spread throughout Russia and the neighboring former Soviet republics.[14]

The drug can be made from codeine and iodine derived from over-the-counter medications and red phosphorus from match strikers,[17] in a process similar to the manufacturing of methamphetamine from pseudoephedrine. Like methamphetamine, desomorphine made this way is often contaminated with various agents. The street name in Russia for homemade desomorphine is krokodil (Russian: крокодил, crocodile), possibly related to the chemical name of the precursor ?-chlorocodide, or the resemblance of the skin damage caused by the drug to a crocodile's leather.[14]

Due to difficulties in procuring heroin, combined with easy and cheap access to over-the-counter pharmacy products containing codeine in Russia, use of krokodil increased until 2012.[18] In 2012 the Russian federal government introduced new restrictions for the sale of codeine-containing medications. This policy change diminished, but did not extinguish krokodil use in Russia.[19] It has been estimated that around 100,000 people use krokodil in Russia and around 20,000 in Ukraine.[18][needs update]

One death in Poland in December 2011 was also believed to have been caused by krokodil use, and its use has been confirmed among Russian expatriate communities in a number of other European countries.[20] In 2013 two cases of Krokodil use were reported in the United States.[21] A single case of desomorphine use was reported in Spain in 2014, with the drug consumed orally rather than by injection.[22] There are reports of krokodil use in the United Kingdom.[23][24]

EDIT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desomorphine

[keithbvadu2]

5. More powerful drugs made even more powerful. A continuous progression.

More powerful drugs made even more powerful.

"...a guy whose arm and leg had been amputated because of his tranq wounds. He was still injecting into his leg stump."