Krokodil is the street name for the drug Desomorphine. It is also labeled a "moonshine drug" because it can be easily made using procurable materials. The drug originated in the slums of Russia and Siberia, where it gained popularity because of its cheap price --- almost one-third the cost of heroine. And yet it's more addictive than heroin and gets you 10 times as high as morphine. 

The user experiences a high which usually lasts for an hour. Krokodil gets its name from the after-effect of the drug's usage; extensive use leads to the rupturing of blood vessels, which causes the skin to turn green and scaly. It can lead to brain damage and cause serious infections in the heart, brain, spine and lungs.

Due to the acidity of the drug, body parts turn gangrenous. Muscles and bones can become visible under the rotting flesh --- users resemble zombies with flesh hanging from their limbs. According to Time, the life expectancy of a user is around two to three years.

In the past month, several cases of Krokodil usage have sprouted up. Banner's Poison Control Center reported the first two cases in Arizona. This week, Fox News reported that three users affected by the flesh-eating drug are being treated in Joliet Hospital in Chicago. While it not yet known how widespread the usage is, these reports indicate a need for law enforcements to begin tracking the drug. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokesperson Rusty Payne said, "It's going to be a challenge if this takes off in the US."

The images showing the effects of Krokodil are too graphic to be displayed. If you're curious, click here. Be warned--they are scarring.

Reach Staff Reporter Vidhi Todi here.