When You’re Covering the Bogus Krokodil Epidemic, Even Rumors of a Rumor Will Do

In my
Forbes column this week, I explain how the bogus
story of a U.S, krokodil outbreak was born and why it
will not die. I do not address every alleged krokodil sighting in
detail because some of the reports are so laughably lacking in
evidence that they are not worth the trouble. References to the
drug’s alleged appearance in Utah stand out in that regard. Here is
how that totally unfounded claim seems to have arisen.

On October 6, inspired by unsubstantiated reports of
krokodil-related symptoms in neighboring Arizona, the Desert
Morning News ran a story under the headline “DEA
Fears Flesh-Eating Drug Could End Up in Utah.” Reporter Pat
Reavy asked Sue Thomas, supervisory special agent for the Drug
Enforcement Administration in Utah, about krokodil , and
Thomas responded with an over-the-top recital of potential side
effects that was partly true but mixed up with considerable
nonsense (such as her incredible claim that “methamphetamine and
heroin are guaranteed to give you a slow, painful death”). Thomas
never said there was any krokodil in Utah—just that it would be
worrisome if there were. “As of Friday,” Reavy wrote, “there had
been no confirmed cases of Krokodil in Utah.”

Three days later, Abhin Singla, a physician in Joliet, Illinois,
who claimed to have encountered krokodil users there,
told the Southtown Star, “Last week the first cases in
this country were reported in Arizona and Utah, and I’m startled
how quickly it came east to our area.” During the next few days,
that claim about Utah was picked up by other news outlets. On
October 12 the Fox station in Cleveland
reported that “the first U.S. case [sic] appeared
in Utah and Arizona a few weeks ago.” On October 14 the
Fox station in St. Louis referred to
“reports” of krokodil use “in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and
most recently in the Chicago area.” Even the Chicago
Tribune, which has covered this story with admirable
skepticism,
mentioned “unconfirmed cases of krokodil use in Arizona, Utah
and Nevada.” The Lawton Constitution, an Oklahoma
paper, said
“reports of the drug’s usage in Utah and Illinois have recently
surfaced.”

Back in Utah, having seen such reports of reports, The Salt
Lake Tribune wondered,
“Is flesh-eating krokodil in Utah?” The answer, according
to the headline: “Hard to be sure.” In that October 18 story,
Matthew Piper noted that “reports in recent weeks have obliquely
mentioned ‘cases in Utah.'” He added:

On Thursday local TV news outlets reported that Murray’s
Intermountain Medical Center saw two patients who seemed to display
the synthetic opiate’s trademark side effects. But IMC spokesman
Jess Gomez could only say that those cases—it is unknown when they
occurred—”fit some of the clinical criteria.” If they were the
result of krokodil, they were minor reactions, and there is no
sure test.

Actually, there is a sure
test: If someone has recently injected krokodil, they should
have desomorphine in their blood. But to date no desomorphine has
been detected in any blood or drug samples. There is nevertheless
an impressive list of a dozen or so states where krokodil has been
reported (or reported to have been reported). Including Utah.