What are date rape drugs?
These are drugs that are sometimes used to assist a sexual assault. Sexual assault is any type of sexual activity that a person does not agree to. It can include inappropriate touching, vaginal penetration, sexual intercourse, rape, and attempted rape. Because of the effects of these drugs, victims may be physically helpless, unable to refuse sex, and can't remember what happened. The drugs often have no color, smell, or taste and are easily added to flavored drinks without the victim's knowledge. There are at least three date rape drugs:
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid)
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam)
Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride)
Although we use the term "date rape," most experts prefer the term "drug-facilitated sexual assault." These drugs have been used to help people commit other crimes, like robbery and physical assault, and have been used on both men and women.
What do the drugs look like?
GHB has a few forms: a liquid with no odor or color, white powder, and pill.
Rohypnol is a pill and dissolves in liquids. New pills turn blue when added to liquids. However, the old pills, with no color, are still available.
Ketamine is a white powder.
What effects do these drugs have on the body?
The drugs can affect you quickly. The length of time that the effects last varies. It depends on how much of the drug is taken and if the drug is mixed with other substances, like alcohol. Alcohol can worsen the drug's effects and can cause more health problems. Also, one drug — GHB — can be made by people in their homes, so you don't know what's in it.
GHB
GHB can cause these problems:
relaxation
drowsiness
dizziness
nausea
problems seeing
unconsciousness (black out)
seizures
can't remember what happened while drugged
problems breathing
tremors
sweating
vomiting
slow heart rate
dream-like feeling
coma
death
Rohypnol
Rohypnol can cause these problems:
can't remember what happened while drugged
lower blood pressure
sleepiness
muscle relaxation or loss of muscle control
drunk feeling
nausea
problems talking
difficulty with motor movements
loss of consciousness
confusion
problems seeing
dizziness
confusion
stomach problems
Ketamine
Ketamine can cause these problems:
hallucinations
lost sense of time and identity
distorted perceptions of sight and sound
feeling out of control
impaired motor function
problems breathing
convulsions
vomiting
out of body experiences
memory problems
dream-like feeling
numbness
loss of coordination
aggressive or violent behavior
slurred speech
Are these drugs legal in the United States?
Some of these drugs are legal, but that doesn't mean they're not going to hurt you. Even if they're legal, you should not use them unless your health care provider prescribes them.
Rohypnol is NOT legal in the U.S. It is legal in Europe and Mexico and prescribed for sleep problems and as an anesthetic (medicine given during surgery so you don't feel pain). It is brought into the U.S. illegally.
Ketamine is legal in the U.S. for use as an anesthetic for humans and animals. It is mostly used on animals. Veterinary clinics are robbed for their Ketamine supply.
GHB was recently made legal in the U.S to treat problems from narcolepsy (a sleep problem).
GHB Facts
Since about 1990, GHB (gamma- hydroxybutrate) has been abused in the U.S. for euphoric, sedative, and anabolic (body building) effects. As with Rohypnol and clonazepam, GHB has been associated with sexual assault in cities throughout the country.
Reports from Detroit indicate liquid GHB is being used in nightclubs for effects similar to those of Rohypnol. It is also common in the club scene in Phoenix, Honolulu, and Texas, where it is known as "liquid ecstasy," "somatomax," "scoop," or "grievous bodily harm." In Miami, poison control center calls have reflected problems associated with increased GHB use, including loss of consciousness. In New York City, there have been reports of GHB use among those in the fashion industry. In Atlanta, it is commonly used as a synthetic steroid at fitness centers and gyms.
Coma and seizures can occur following abuse of GHB and, when combined with Methamphetamine, there appears to be an increased risk of seizure. Combining use with other drugs such as alcohol can result in nausea and difficulty breathing.
GHB may also produce withdrawal effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating. Because of concern about Rohypnol, GHB, and other similarly abused sedative-hypnotics, Congress passed the "Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996" in October 1996. This legislation increased Federal penalties for use of any controlled substance to aid in sexual assault.
Protecting yourself is simple.
1.Don't leave your drink unattended and don't let it out of your sight.
2.Don't accept drinks that you don't purchase yourself... even from a "friend".
3.Always have a trusted friend with you who can help you to safety should you find yourself passing out from a spiked drink.
Rohypnol Facts
Rohypnol is a brand name for Flunitrazepam which belongs to the family of medications called "Benzodiazepines" which include Valium diazepam), Librium (chlorodiazepoxide) and Xanax (alprazolam).
Rohypnol is manufactured worldwide, particularly in Europe and Latin America, in 1 and 2mg tablets by Hoffman-LaRoche Incorporated, a large pharmaceutical manufacturer, however the drug is neither manufactured or approved in the USA or Canada.
This drug is very potent (10 times more potent than Valium) and produces sedation, amnesia, muscle relaxation and a slowing of psychomotor responses within 20-30 minutes of ingestion, which can cause blackouts that can last from 8 to 24 hours.
Rohypnol can be slipped into the drink of an unsuspecting sexual assault victim by an assailant. The result is that the victim remembers nothing of the sexual assault or that they knew something was happening but couldn't do anything about it. Mixing Rohypnol with alcohol intensifies its effects.
It is fast becoming a "club drug" used by youths by mixing it with other drugs and alcohol. the drug is often distributed in its original "bubble packaging" which adds an air of legitimacy and makes it appear to be legal.
The drug has been added to punch and other drinks at high school, college and university parties, where it is reportedly given to female party guests in hopes of lowering inhibitions and potential sexual conquest.
Police departments across the continent are taking reports of young women waking up without their clothing on, finding themselves in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar people, or having actually been sexually assaulted while under the influence of the drug. The victims now have the trauma of the assault and the added worries of having been subjected to unprotected sex.
As insidious and perilous as this may sound the dangers don't stop there...
Rohypnol, particularly when mixed with alcohol or other drugs may lead to respiratory depression, aspiration and even death. When taken repeatedly, in can lead to physical and psychological dependence which is thought to increase with both the dose and duration of use.
Rohypnol is known by various street names:
Roachies, La Roche, Rope, Rib, Roche, Rophies, Roofies, Ruffies, Stupefi
Ecstasy
Ecstasy, or MDMA (3-4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), is a synthetic drug that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Users sometimes take Ecstasy for the sense of well-being, the sensory distortions caused by the drug, or to stay awake through an hours-long rave. It stimulates the central nervous system and produces hallucinogenic effects. The price of Ecstasy depends on the supply and demand in the area, but usually ranges from $10 to $40 per dose.
Ecstasy has been shown to cause brain damage in animals. It depletes a very important chemical in the brain, serotonin, which regulates mood, sleeping and eating habits, thinking processes, aggressive behavior, sexual function, and sensitivity to pain.
Ecstasy is an amphetamine-like drug, and belongs to a class of drugs known as designer drugs. Designer drugs, especially Ecstasy, are often associated with "raves," all-night underground parties with techno music and extensive drug use. Raves are often frequented by teens and college students. Users who take Ecstasy at raves risk exhaustion and dehydration from a combination of the drug and non-stop dancing, and users have died from heat stroke.
A designer drug is created by changing the molecular structure of an existing drug or drugs to create a new substance. The street names of designer drugs vary according to time, place, and manufacturer, and the names change frequently. Designer drugs are created in clandestine laboratories and can be extremely dangerous.
Source: NIDA