Synthetic drug krokodil could ravage conflict zones

Significance

Known as 'a poor man's heroin', the potent and harmful homemade krokodil has reached North America, although most of its use so far is in Russia and neighbouring states.

Impacts

• Krokodil is a disproportionately cheap and lethal narcotic which has the potential to spread quickly and be produced anywhere.
• The risks from krokodil will intensify pressure to restrict the availability of codeine.
• Krokodil can substitute for heroin and other opiates, so crackdowns on them could push users towards an even more harmful alternative.