Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam)

Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) is the brand name of a sleeping pill prescribed for insomnia in Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. It has NOT been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States but this has not stopped its distribution. Rohypnol belongs to the family of medications called benzodiazepines which includes Valium, Librium and Xanax.

Rophypnol is being called the "Date Rape Drug" or the "Quaalude of the '90s" because it is the newest drug to be abused by adding it to alcohol. When combined with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine or other drugs, it can provide a rapid and dramatic "high." Even if used by itself, Rohypnol's effects are very similar to intoxication.

Street names for Rohypnol include: Roofies, Roche, Rope, Ruffies, R-2, Roaches, Rib and Mexican Valium.

What effects does it have on the body?

Rophynol has been prescribed as an effective sleeping pill and is also used as a sedative and preanesthetic medication in some countries. The effects of flunitrazepam are fairly long-acting. When combined with alcohol or other drugs, Rophynol can impair judgment and motor skills and cause memory loss or blackouts (lasting 8 to 24 hours after ingestion). Loss of inhibition can also occur, with or without alcohol. A person under the influence of Rohypnol can appear to be drunk, display no coordination, blood-shot eyes and slurred speech. Sedation can occur as soon as 20 minutes after ingestion. The drug's effects will peak within 2 hours and may persist for up to 8 hours or more, depending on the dosage. Other adverse effects associated with flunitrazepam include visual disturbances, drowsiness, confusion, decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, gastrointestinal disturbances and urinary retention. When mixed with alcohol, Rohypnol may cause respiratory depression, aspiration or even death. Although classified as a depressent, Rohypnol can rarely induce excitability or aggressive behavior.

Reports of abuse on many college campuses include stories of women waking up naked in unfamiliar surroundings with no memory of the preceding hours. They may have been sexually assaulted without any memory of what took place. It is important to note that sexual assault or abuse of Rophynol is not gender biased. Although most cases are reported by females, this drug has the same effect on males. Both males and females have the right to seek treatment after sexual assault and/or suspected Rophynol abuse.

What does Rophynol look like?

This drug is shipped in bubble packaging or blister packs that appear very similar to aspirin. They are typically white in color, although counterfeit products have appeared in brownish-pink tint. Rohypnol tablets are single or cross-scored on one side with "ROCHE" and "1" or "2" encircled on the other. When dissolved in alcohol, soft drinks, water or any other liquid the drug is colorless, odorless and tasteless (although some report that it has a slightly bitter taste when mixed with alcohol).

Is there a drug test for Rohypnol?

YES. A urine test can detect the presence of Rohypnol up to 60 hours after ingestion. This test can be ordered by a any medical professional. Contact your family care physician, student health doctor, or visit the emergency room.. Rohypnol can be more difficult to detect than similar drugs because it is in low concentrations and is cleared quickly by the body.

Are there other drugs that are being abused like Rohypnol?

YES. People have been "spiking" drinks for decades with legal or illegal substances. Although Rohypnol is getting the most recent attention, reprots of GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate) have also been increasing. GHB is found naturally in the body but the synthetic product created in the 1980's was purchased by body builders (over-the-counter) as an anabolic steroid alternative. When combined with alcohol it results in a reaction similar to Rophynol. GHB is not approved for use in the U.S. and has been banned from over-the-counter sales by the FDA. It continues to be available in the underground market.

How can I lower my risk?

Watch your drink.

Watch out for each other.

Avoid punch bowls.

Open your own bottle or container - don't accept opened drinks.

Tell others about Rohypnol. Awareness is a major factor in this or any other kinds of abuse.

Remember that Rohypnol is odorless, colorless and tasteless and can be added to ANY drink - even water.

If you suspect you or a friend may have ingested Rohypnol, be sure to get tested at your Student Health clinic or at the hospital Emergency Room. The drug is detectable for up to 60 hours but cases should and can be reported at any time.

Report any suspected abuse of Rohypnol to proper legal authorities in order to protect yourself and others from harm. It is a federal offense to administer any controlled substance to any person without his/her knowledge, with the intent of committing a violent crime.

ROHYPNOL AND GHB INFORMATION SHEET

Although not a new phenomenon, concern over substance-related rape is rapidly increasing as perpetrators find more severe and dangerous means to sedate victims. The common use of alcohol as a sedative is being combined with and even replaced by illicit use of the drugs Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) and GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate).

Facts about Rohypnol.

Manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Rohypnol (pronounced ro-hip-nol) is the brand name for the drug flunitrazepam. It belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which include widely used medications such as Valium, Librium and Xanax. The sedative effects of Rohypnol are 7-10 times greater than that of Valium. Common street names for the drug include roachies, la rocha, rope, roofies, ruffies, Mexican valium, rib, R-2 and Roach-2.

What does Rophynol look like? How is it used?

Rohypnol is available in round white tablets that are slightly smaller than an aspirin. It is available in 1mg and 2mg doses; however, the 2 mg dose is currently being removed from worldwide markets. It is shipped in bubble packaging or blister packs that appear very similar to aspirin. They are typically white in color, although counterfeit products have appeared in brownish-pink tint. Rohypnol tablets are single or cross-scored on one side with "ROCHE" and "1" or "2" encircled on the other. When dissolved in alcohol, soft drinks, water or any other liquid the drug is colorless, odorless and tasteless (although some report that it has a slightly bitter taste when mixed with alcohol).

How do people get Rohypnol?

Rohypnol is the brand name of a sleeping pill prescribed for insomnia in Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. It has NOT been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States, but this has not stopped its distribution. Rohypnol belongs to the family of medications called benzodiazepines which includes Valium, Librium and Xanax.

While Rohypnol is illegal in the United States, it is approved for prescription use in 64 countries. It is an inexpensive drug usually available for less than $5 per tablet. The most common forms of smuggling into the U.S. are through the postal service, delivery services and by individuals.

What are the physical effects of Rophynol?

Rophynol has been prescribed as an effective sleeping pill and is also used as a sedative and preanesthetic medication in some countries. The effects of flunitrazepam are fairly long-acting. When combined with alcohol or other drugs, Rophynol can impair judgment and motor skills and cause memory loss or blackouts (lasting 8 to 24 hours after ingestion). Loss of inhibition can also occur, with or without alcohol.

A person under the influence of Rohypnol can appear to be drunk, display no coordination, blood-shot eyes and slurred speech. Sedation can occur as soon as 20 minutes after ingestion. The drug's effects will peak within 2 hours and may persist for up to 8 hours or more, depending on the dosage. Other adverse effects associated with flunitrazepam include visual disturbances, drowsiness, confusion, decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, gastrointestinal disturbances and urinary retention. When mixed with alcohol, Rohypnol may cause respiratory depression, aspiration or even death. Although classified as a depressant, Rohypnol can rarely induce excitability or aggressive behavior.

Facts About GHB.

GHB is found naturally in the body. The synthetic product, created in the 1980's, was originally purchased by body builders as an anabolic steroid alternative. When combined with alcohol it results in a reaction similar to Rophynol. GHB is not approved for use in the U.S. and has been banned from over-the-counter sales by the FDA.

What does GHB look like? How is it used?

GHB is most commonly found in liquid form in vials or small bottles. It is usually either a colorless liquid or a white powder, and reportedly tastes salty or similar to plastic. GHB is taken orally, usually in combination with alcohol or other drugs. It is popular with a wide range of abusers in the US, including high school and college students, with the intention of intoxication and/or incapacitating someone with the intention of committing sexual assault. In Europe, some doctors use GHB as a surgical anesthetic. In the United States, it is used experimentally to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy and heroin and alcohol addiction.

How do people get GHB?

GHB, a potentially lethal mixture containing lye and industrial solvents, acts as a depressant and has been linked to at least three deaths nationwide. Although banned from commercial sale in 1990 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the lethal liquid is not yet registered as an illegal narcotic. Illegal laboratories often manufacture the drug and homemade versions of GHB have become increasingly popular.

What are the physical effects of GHB?

GHB is a depressant affecting the central nervous system. It is used as a date rape drug because of its ability to produce euphoric and hallucinatory states. GHB can cause serious side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, visual disturbances, unconsciousness, seizures, severe respiratory depression and coma.

Even marginally increased doses of GHB have been reported to result in severe adverse effects. These include slowed heart beat, decreased respiratory effort, unconsciousness, seizure-like activity, and coma. Such effects can appear within fifteen minutes of oral ingestion of the drug, and acute symptoms appear to decrease after three to four hours. As with most substances, health risks increase sharply when GHB is mixed with other drugs and/or alcohol.

How are date rape drugs used as a prelude to rape?

The most common scenario of reported cases in which date rape drugs are used to facilitate rape is that in which a perpetrator laces the victim's drink with Rohypnol or GHB. Since the drugs for the most part lack color, odor and taste and dissolve quickly, a victim can ingest it unknowingly.

The initial pharmacological effects of date rape drugs appear 15-30 minutes after intake and include impaired memory and judgment, drowsiness, loss of fine motor skills, dizziness and confusion. The victim may feel intoxicated. Eventually the victim may lose consciousness thus becoming vulnerable to attack. The effects reach their peak within 1 to 2 hours after intake and continue for an average of 8 to 10 hours. At higher doses and when combined with other drugs the effects may persist for 24 hours. Higher doses of date rate drugs may induce amnesia. Alcohol and other drugs work synergistically with Rohypnol and GHB, thus enhancing the effects.

There are several telltale signs that an individual has been drugged. If an individual appears disproportionately inebriated in relation to the amount of alcohol they have consumed, they may have unknowingly ingested one of any number of substances. Sedating substances can temporarily inhibit a person's ability to remain awake and conscious. Someone who has been sedated may experience sudden and unexplained drowsiness and have trouble with motor coordination.

Brief periods of impaired memory also may result from the misuse of sedating substances. This means the person who has been raped may not remember the details of what happened while under the drug's influence. Depending on the drug and the presence of other substances in the person's system, more dangerous side effects may occur.

Reports of abuse include stories of women waking up naked in unfamiliar surroundings with no memory of the preceding hours. They may have been sexually assaulted without any memory of what took place. It is important to note that sexual assault or abuse of date rape drugs are not gender biased. Although most cases are reported by females, these drugs have the same effect on males. Both males and females have the right to seek treatment after sexual assault and/or suspected date rape drug abuse.

What should you do if you suspect you have been drugged and/or sexually assaulted using a date rape drug?

Individuals who suspect they have been drugged with Rohypnol or GHB (or any other substance) should contact their local rape crisis center or law enforcement agency for drug testing and information on available resources. Most substances can be detected through appropriate drug testing. The findings of such tests can provide valuable evidence in a court of law if the rape survivor chooses to prosecute the case. Individuals should save the glass the drug was dissolved in and/or a sample of the beverage for analysis.

It is a federal offense to administer any controlled substance to any person without his/her knowledge with the intent of committing a violent crime.

How can I lower my risk?

You can take a number of precautions to reduce your risks of being given a date rape drug:

Do not leave beverages unattended.

Do not take any beverages, including alcohol, from someone you do not know well and trust.

At a bar or club, accept drinks only from the bartender, waiter or waitress.

At parties, do not accept open container drinks from anyone. Avoid punch bowls.

Be alert to the behavior of friends. Anyone appearing disproportionately inebriated in relation to the amount of alcohol they have consumed may be in danger.

Remember that these drugs are odorless, colorless and tasteless and can be added to ANY drink - even water.

Tell others about date rape drugs. Awareness is a major factor in this or any other kinds of abuse.

Report any suspected abuse of date rape drugs to proper legal authorities in order to protect yourself and others from harm.

Rohypnol History

Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche Inc, is the brand name of a sleeping pill prescribed for insomnia in Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. It has not been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States.

Flunitrazepam is a benzodiazepine that is used in the short-term treatment of insomnia and as a sedative hypnotic and preanesthetic medication. Rohypnol belongs to the family of medications called benzodiazepines which includes Valium, Librium and Xanax. It has physiological effects similar to diazepam (Valium), although flunitrazepam is approximately 10 times more potent.

The primary manufacturer of Rohypnol (the ones who coined the brand name) is Hoffman La Roche, a Swiss pharmaceutical company. They make 1 mg and 2 mg tablets that look much like a small aspirin. In Germany, Roche removed the 2-milligram dosage from retail distribution-restricting it to hospital use only-due to the increasing abuse of flunitrazepam in that country.

The illicit use of flunitrazepam is characterized by its use with other drugs, although it may be used alone. It enhances the high produced by low-quality heroin and has been so used in Asia since the early 1980s. It mellows the high of cocaine and eases a user down from a crack or cocaine binge.

In the US, it appears to be used most frequently in conjunction with alcohol, with which it seems to have a synergistic effect, producing disinhibition and amnesia. Because its presence is not detected by routine benzodiazepine screens, it can be used to avoid drunk driving charges. (In Florida, a new law allows screening for flunitrazepam if a driver seems impaired but has a low blood alcohol level.)

The first reports of Rohypnol abuse in the U.S. were in 1993 in southern Florida (Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Workgroup, National Institute on Drug Abuse, June 1993); since then cases have been reported to the Drug Enforcement Agency in every part of the United States, even in rural areas.

The drug is most common in the southern and eastern parts of the country, where there have been several widely reported seizures and rape cases. However, I have also seen reports in college newspapers from the Midwest and northern states, and I know that Rohypnol has found its way here, to the Pacific Northwest.

Hoffman is beginning to make new Rohypnol tablets that don't dissolve as well in water- however, there is still a large stock of the old product on the market. Copycat tablets are being produced by pharmaceutical companies in South America and possibly Egypt. These tablets may be reddish-brown instead of white. These tablets dissolve well in water.

Date Rape Drug

Rohypnol is being called the Date Rape Drug or the Quaalude of the '90s because it is the newest drug to be abused by adding it to alcohol. When combined with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine or other drugs, it can provide a rapid and dramatic high. Even if used by itself, Rohypnol's effects are very similar to intoxication. The drug usually sells for well below $5 per tablet.

What effects does it have on the body?

Rohypnol has been prescribed as an effective sleeping pill and is also used as a sedative and preanesthetic medication in some countries. The effects of flunitrazepam are fairly long-acting. When combined with alcohol or other drugs, Rohypnol can impair judgment and motor skills and cause memory loss or blackouts (lasting 8 to 24 hours after ingestion). Loss of inhibition can also occur, with or without alcohol. A person under the influence of Rohypnol can appear to be drunk, display no coordination, blood-shot eyes and slurred speech.

Sedation can occur as soon as 20 minutes after ingestion. The drug's effects will peak within 2 hours and may persist for up to 8 hours or more, depending on the dosage. Other adverse effects associated with flunitrazepam include visual disturbances, drowsiness, confusion, decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, gastrointestinal disturbances and urinary retention. When mixed with alcohol, Rohypnol may cause respiratory depression, aspiration or even death. Although classified as a depressant, Rohypnol can rarely induce excitability or aggressive behavior.

Reports of abuse on many college campuses include stories of women waking up naked in unfamiliar surroundings with no memory of the preceding hours. They may have been sexually assaulted without any memory of what took place. It is important to note that sexual assault or abuse of Rohypnol is not gender biased. Although most cases are reported by females, this drug has the same effect on males. Both males and females have the right to seek treatment after sexual assault and/or suspected Rohypnol abuse.

What does Rohypnol look like?

This drug is shipped in bubble packaging or blister packs that appear very similar to aspirin. They are typically white in color, although counterfeit products have appeared in brownish-pink tint. Rohypnol tablets are single or cross-scored on one side with ROCHE and 1 or 2 encircled on the other. When dissolved in alcohol, soft drinks, water or any other liquid the drug is colorless, odorless and tasteless (although some report that it has a slightly bitter taste when mixed with alcohol).

Is there a drug test for Rohypnol?

YES. A urine test can detect the presence of Rohypnol up to 60 hours after ingestion. This test can be ordered by a practitioner on any student seen as a patient at Elson Student Health or at the University of Virginia Hospital. Rohypnol can be more difficult to detect than similar drugs because it is in low concentrations and is cleared quickly by the body.

Are there other drugs that are being abused like Rohypnol?

YES. People have been spiking drinks for decades with legal or illegal substances. Although Rohypnol is getting the most recent attention, reports of GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate) have also been increasing. GHB is found naturally in the body but the synthetic product created in the 1980's was purchased by body builders (over-the-counter) as an anabolic steroid alternative. When combined with alcohol it results in a reaction similar to Rohypnol. GHB is not approved for use in the U.S. and has been banned from over-the-counter sales by the FDA. It continues to be available in the underground market.

How can I lower my risk?

Watch your drink. Watch out for each other. Avoid punch bowls. Open your own bottle or container - don't accept opened drinks. Do NOT trust someone just because they are female, some lesbians have been using it as a date rape drug also. Tell others about Rohypnol. Awareness is a major factor in this or any other kinds of abuse.

Remember that Rohypnol is odorless, colorless and tasteless and can be added to ANY drink - even water. If you suspect you or a friend may have ingested Rohypnol, be sure to get tested at Student Health or at the hospital Emergency Room. The drug is detectable for up to 60 hours but cases should and can be reported at any time.

Report any suspected date rape abuse of Rohypnol to proper legal authorities in order to protect yourself and others from harm. It is a federal offense to administer any controlled substance to any person without his/her knowledge, with the intent of committing a violent crime.

The above info came from UVa Department of Student Health.

Use

Flunitrazepam is ingested orally, frequently in conjunction with alcohol or other drugs, including heroin. The drug's effects begin within 30 minutes, peak within 2 hours, and may persist for up to 8 hours or more, depending upon the dosage. Adverse effects associated with the use of flunitrazepam include decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances, and urinary retention. Paradoxically, although the drug is classified as a depressant, flunitrazepam can induce excitability or aggressive behavior in some users.

Scheduling

In 1983, flunitrazepam was placed into Schedule IV of the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. To comply with the convention, the United States placed flunitrazepam in Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA), despite little evidence of its abuse.

In March 1995, flunitrazepam was moved to Schedule III by the World Health Organization, requiring more thorough record keeping on its licit distribution-the first benzodiazepine to require more rigid controls. However, due to recent increases in seizures and abuse of this drug, DEA currently is reviewing the possibility of placing flunitrazepam into Schedule I of the CSA. A Schedule I drug is considered to have a high potential for abuse, to have no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and to lack accepted levels of safety for use under medical supervision.

Management of Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam) Withdrawal as provided by the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, Inc: Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) Fact Sheet

Flunitrazepam use causes dependence in humans. Once dependence has developed, abstention induces withdrawal symptoms, including headache, muscle pain, extreme anxiety, tension, restlessness, confusion, and irritability. Numbness, tingling of the extremities, loss of identity, hallucinations, delirium, convulsions, shock, and cardiovascular collapse also may occur. Withdrawal seizures can occur a week or more after cessation of use.

As with other benzodiazepines, treatment for flunitrazepam dependence must be gradual, with use tapering off. Flunitrazepam is touted as an effective parachute or remedy for the depression that follows a stimulant high. Reports indicate that flunitrazepam is used by drug addicts in Spain and Malaysia to allay withdrawal symptoms and to gain a state of oblivion. Abuse of the drug in Western Europe and the Caribbean has been reported over the last 10 years.

A patient who is physically dependent but taking only flunitrazepam could be withdrawal using phenobarbital. Thirty milligrams of phenobarbital can be substituted for each 1 mg of flunitrazepam the patient is taking each day. Thus a person taking 6 mg/day of flunitrazepam would be administered 180 mg of phenobarbital per day as the beginning of withdrawal dose. The dose of phenobarbital can be reduced at the rate of 30 mg/day. If a patient is vomiting and cannot reliably absorb oral medications, phenobarbital may be administered intramuscularly.

Patients who combine alcohol and flunitrazepam may need additional medication for their alcohol withdrawal. After patients have received their initial phenobarbital doses, a benzodiazpine, such as chlordiazepoxide or diazepam, can be administered as needed to alleviate emerging alcohol withdrawal signs and symptoms (e.g., rising pulse and blood pressure, tremulousness, diaphoresis) and prevent withdrawal seizures. If an intramuscular benzodiazepine is required for alcohol withdrawal, Ativan (lorazepam) should be used.

The above info came from The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.

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