Rohypnol, commonly known as a “date rape” drug, has gained infamy for its misuse in criminal activities. This synthetic drug belongs to the benzodiazepine family, similar to widely prescribed medications like Valium and Xanax. However, unlike those medications, Rohypnol is not approved for medical use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Outside the U.S., it is prescribed to treat severe insomnia.

What is Rohypnol?

Rohypnol is the brand name for flunitrazepam, a central nervous system (CNS) depressant within the benzodiazepine class. Like other benzodiazepines, it induces sedation, anti-anxiety effects, and muscle relaxation.

What sets Rohypnol apart is its illicit use and reputation for impairing judgement and memory, often associated with its use in criminal acts. Its ability to cause amnesia makes it particularly harmful, as individuals under its influence may have no recollection of events that occur during its effect.

Though banned in the U.S., flunitrazepam is marketed internationally under different brand names and prescribed for short-term treatment of severe sleep disorders in certain countries.

Where Does it Originate?

It is not legally manufactured or imported in the United States. It is usually smuggled into the country from regions like Mexico, where its production and distribution are legal for specific medical purposes.

Common Street Names for Rohypnol

Rohypnol is referred to by various street names, which often reflect its reputation and misuse. Some of the most common include:

• Roofies
• Rophies
• Forget-Me-Pill
• Ruffies
• Mexican Valium

Understanding these aliases is important for recognising potential mentions of this substance in various situations.

What Does it Look Like?

Older versions of Rohypnol were small, white tablets that dissolved undetected in drinks, making them colourless, tasteless, and odourless. However, in response to concerns over its use in sexual assaults, the manufacturer reformulated the drug in 1997.

Modern tablets are oblong, olive green in color, and speckled with a blue dye. When dissolved, this formulation turns light-coloured liquids blue, making it easier to identify tampering. However, generic versions without the blue dye are still available, posing ongoing risks.

How is it Used?

Rohypnol tablets are typically swallowed whole but can also be crushed and snorted or dissolved in liquids. Adolescents and some substance users misuse the drug for its euphoric high, experiencing reduced inhibitions and impaired judgement.

However, Rohypnol’s most nefarious use occurs in criminal acts, particularly in date rape scenarios. Offenders commonly dissolve the drug in alcoholic beverages, incapacitating victims, who may lose the ability to resist or recall events.

It has also been misused in polydrug abuse. For instance:

• Cocaine users may take Rohypnol to counteract the irritability and agitation caused by cocaine binges.
• Combined with alcohol or other CNS depressants like heroin, Rohypnol intensifies intoxication, increasing the potential for harmful side effects.

Effects of Rohypnol on the Mind

Rohypnol dramatically slows CNS activity, producing a range of mental effects, including:

• Drowsiness and sedation
• Sleep induction (pharmacological hypnosis)
• Decreased anxiety
• Amnesia (often leaving users with no memory of the time spent under its influence)

Additional effects may include confusion, impaired judgement, aggression, excitability, and either slowed or heightened reactions depending on the situation.

Effects of Rohypnol on the Body

Physically, Rohypnol contributes to muscle relaxation but carries several adverse effects, which may include:

• Slurred speech
• Loss of motor coordination
• Weakness and dizziness
• Headaches
• Respiratory depression

Prolonged or high-dose usage can result in physical dependency, leading to withdrawal symptoms once discontinued.

Overdose Risks

Excessive consumption of Rohypnol, particularly when combined with other depressants like alcohol or opiates, significantly increases the risk of overdose. Symptoms of a Rohypnol overdose include:

• Profound sedation and unconsciousness
• Slowed heart rate
• Severe respiratory suppression, which can be fatal

Other Drugs with Similar Effects

Rohypnol shares its effects with other substances, including:

• GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), another CNS depressant frequently linked to misuse.
• Other benzodiazepines like Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Valium (diazepam).

Legal Status in the United States

Rohypnol is classified as a Schedule IV substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Despite its current lack of FDA approval and the ban on its domestic manufacture, sale, and importation, illicit trafficking still occurs.

Penalties for the possession, distribution, or trafficking of Rohypnol in quantities exceeding one gram are equivalently severe to those imposed on Schedule I substances.

Source: Campus Drug Prevention