Author: Charles Frank

What everyone should know about roofies, aka date rape drugs

In the United States, Rohypnol is used recreationally at lower doses as a party or club drug, more often by males. Its use among adolescents has decreased significantly but not as much as GBH or ketamine have. Those who abuse Rohypnol often combine it with alcohol, usually beer, in order to produce an exaggerated high. Part of the appeal of Rohypnol as a party drug (especially among young people) is its low cost. If you’ve been roofied, even if the assault never happened, talk to a mental health professional. Therapy can help you process the trauma, so you can enjoy social occasions once again.

Also referred to as cherry meth, GHB is a prescription medication for the condition known as narcolepsy. Effects are felt within 15 to 30 minutes of ingestion and last for up to six hours. Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine that’s approximately 10 times as potent as Xanax. Although not approved for use in the United States, this drug is nonetheless widely available on the black market. This is not only harmful for the victim, but it can also mean the perpetrator is more likely to get away without consequences.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. By Tracee CornforthTracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women’s health issues. You may wake up feeling unusually intoxicated with no memory of having drunk much (or any) alcohol, or find yourself in a location without knowing how you got there.

Can Rohypnol be detected in a urine drug test?

Some symptoms can prove fatal, so it’s advisable to quit taking the drug under a doctor’s supervision. Most people who take the drug have no memory of what happened while under its influence. Blood pressure will drop and people will become drowsy and eventually black out (lose consciousness.) Side effects of Rohypnol typically peak within two hours but can persist for up to 12 hours. Rohypnol is an olive green oblong tablet produced by the pharmaceutical manufacturer Hoffman-La Roche. It works by dramatically slowing the function of the central nervous system. It is more potent than drugs like Valium (diazepam) or Xanax (alprazolam).

If you’ve been roofied (or had your drink spiked with drugs), you might experience mental fogginess, muscle relaxation, and blackouts. But you may have been roofied if the symptoms are stronger than you expect based on the amount you drank. Flunitrazepam is a drug that is frequently involved in drug intoxication, including overdose.[21][22] Overdose of flunitrazepam may result in excessive sedation, or impairment of balance or speech.

Rohypnol can increase the intoxication of alcohol, or may be used to lower the irritability and anxiety linked with excessive cocaine use (binging). If you suspect someone has slipped you an illicit drug, it’s imperative that you call 911 immediately. Don’t drive, and don’t leave the area you’re at unless you’re in danger. Try to stay around as many people as possible until help arrives, and drink as much water as you can to help flush the drug from your system. Because you may lose consciousness very quickly in this situation, acting fast is essential at the onset of any signs you’ve been roofied. Roofies are known as “date rape” drugs because they leave people in a sedated and incapacitated state, which can make them more vulnerable to being sexual assault by another individual.

Dictionary Entries Near roofie

Stick with friends and those you trust to ensure your safety in party situations.

1. As with other benzodiazepines, roofies are central nervous system depressants, which can lead to a variety of side effects.
2. It works by dramatically slowing the function of the central nervous system.
3. It is more potent than drugs like Valium (diazepam) or Xanax (alprazolam).
4. Research gleaned from three large universities suggests that as many as one in 13 college students has been slipped drugs without their knowledge or consent.
5. These residual amounts are difficult, if not impossible, to detect using standard screening assays available in the United States.

The manufacturer instituted this change to help identify tampered drinks at clubs. When dissolved in clear liquids the blue core will turn the clear liquid to blue. However, when dissolved in darker-colored liquids, the blue dye may not be noticeable.

If you suspect someone’s been roofied, the first thing you should do is have them drink as much water as possible. Make sure they’re safe from any possible predators who may have slipped them the drug and get medical treatment as soon as possible. Although it might be tempting to just let the person sleep it off, these drugs carry serious risks. They may interact badly with other drugs already in the person’s system, such as heroin and alcohol, or the dosage may have been high enough to cause an overdose. As with other benzodiazepines, roofies are central nervous system depressants, which can lead to a variety of side effects.

As a Date Rape Drug, Roofies are Being Replaced by Similar Available Drugs

Although it does seem to be more prevalent among the college crowd than among the population as a whole, middle and high school students, as well as older adults, have all reported being roofied. Rohypnol causes partial amnesia; individuals are unable to remember certain events that they experience while under the influence of the drug. However, this effect is particularly dangerous when Rohypnol is used illicitly to aid in sexual assault.

If you believe you were roofied the night before, seek medical attention. A doctor can perform a medical examination to determine if you have been sexually assaulted. While Rohypnol has become widely known for its use as a date-rape drug, it is abused more frequently for other reasons. It is abused by high school students, college students, street gang members, rave party attendees, and heroin and cocaine abusers to produce profound intoxication, boost the high of heroin, and modulate the effects of cocaine. Teenagers and young males age 13 to 30 years of age have been noted as the primary abusers of Rohypnol. Rohypnol may also be used with other drugs of abuse, such as alcohol or cocaine for various effects.

What Is Rohypnol?

Since the 1990s Rohypnol has been used illegally to lessen the depression caused by the abuse of stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, and also as an aid for sexual assault. The so-called “date-rape drug” was placed unknowingly in the drinks of victims, often at a bar or party (“club drug”). Due to the strong amnesia produced by the drug, victims would have limited or no memory of the assault. Research gleaned from three large universities suggests that as many as one in 13 college students has been slipped drugs without their knowledge or consent. Seventy-nine percent of those who reported being drugged were women, and women were more likely to experience sexual assault after being drugged.

This may progress in severe overdoses to respiratory depression or coma and possibly death. The risk of overdose is increased if flunitrazepam is taken in combination with CNS depressants such as ethanol (alcohol) and opioids. Flunitrazepam overdose responds to the GABAA receptor antagonist flumazenil, which thus can be used as a treatment. Because of the latter, flunitrazepam is commonly used in suicide among the elderly.[10] When used in late pregnancy, it might cause hypotonia of the fetus. Seizures, behavioral changes, anxiety, and insomnia can be side effects of long-term use. Some adverse reactions, such as insomnia, may occur after only a few days of use.

While Rohypnol falls into this same category, it’s not approved for medical use in the U.S. In fact, Rohypnol — which is 10 times stronger than Valium — is illegal in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice, but is legal in other countries, where it’s used to treat insomnia. The drug is smuggled into the U.S. via other countries, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.