Sexpert Q & A: “Roofies” – The Date Rape Drug
Dear Yvonne,
How do you know if you’ve been slipped a date rape drug?
-KC
Dear KC,
Rohypnol, a brand name of flunitrazepam manufactured by Hoffman-La Roche Pharmaceuticals, is a central nervous system depressant generally in the form of white tablets. It is also known as “roofies,” “roche,” “rope,” “rib,” “La Roche,” “ruffies,” “Mexican valium,” “Mind Eraser,” “Party Poppers,” and “rophies.” It is odorless, tasteless, and ten times stronger than valium.
The drug causes muscle relaxation and slows psychomotor responses and reportedly enhances the high produced by low-quality heroin, mellows the high of cocaine, and eases a user down from a crack or cocaine binge. When taken with alcohol, it causes disinhibition and amnesia, and hence is also known as “the date rape drug” since it is sometimes used to seduce a victim into a sexual assault scenario.
Among the drug’s immediate effects:
- blackouts
- sense of aggressiveness
- amnesia
- disinhibition
- nausea
- sense of fearlessness
- dizziness
- disorientation
- drowsiness
- decrease in psychomotor performance
- muscle relaxation
- nightmares
- tremors
Withdrawal symptoms include:
- headache
- muscle pain
- irritability
- hallucinations
- anxiety
- convulsions/seizures
- tension
- restlessness
- confusion
Although it is illegal in the U.S. and Canada, Rohypnol is prescribed in more than 60 other countries to treat severe sleep disorders, to sedate patients before surgery, and to treat serious psychiatric disorders. It is an attractive drug to users because it can be inexpensive to buy, with prices ranging from .50 to $8 per tablet. Some young adults who use Rohypnol with alcohol claim that it intensifies their “buzzes.” If used over an extended period of time, a person may become psychologically and/or physiologically dependent upon it.
Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”
Tags: date rape drug, drugs, Rohypnol, roofies, sex, yvonne fulbright
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Recently we have had several date rape victims happen in our community. It is important for all young females to educate themselves on protecting their open drinks while dancing or leaving a beverage unattended. Many have chosen to purchase bottles that they screw a lid to and take it along with them. Others never leave their beverage unattended at a table or have asked security to assist by watching their table. Thanks for your update.
I think KC wanted to know how she could tell if she was slipped a “date rape” drug, which you failed to address. You instead listed side effects which could be caused by her drinking alcohol.
Karl
This response does not address what I thought was the real question, how can you tell if your drink has been spiked with rohypnol. I recall reading somewhere that it does give a drink a slightly different taste, but I can’t recall the specifics. I read this on a poster in the ladies room of a beer pub warning women to be careful of their drinks.
This article clearly lists the ‘Immediate Effects’ and ‘Withdrawal Symptoms’ which tells you if you have been slipped a date rape drug. If you are feeling these effects, you may have been given a date rape drug. ‘Karl’ and ‘k314′, what part of that don’t you get?
True, Eric, but that’s not exactly a straight answer–the straight answer being “you feel really incapacitated and black out” or “you wake up somewhere you don’t know, possibly beside someone you don’t know, and with pain you know where.”
Followed with “there are some places where a young lady ought not drink alone.”
I agree with Eric. If it is an odorless, and tasteless, how would you expect to taste it in your drink? And if you have one glass of alcohol and wake up the next morning with muscle pains, hallucinations, and confusion, I hope you don’t assume thats from alcohol.
It’s like asking how do you know if you’ve been shot with a tranq. dart like you see in spy-type movies. You pass out, end of story. However in this case if you don’t black out, then you might IMMEDIATELY experience some other symptoms.
The “immediate” side effects listed could be present with or without a “roofie” depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. In fact, the after effects listed on one of the other replies such as waking up next to someone you don’t know…. also could be a direct result of plain ol’ garden variety intoxication. My point is that you need to be wary of your drinks as there isn’t a way to tell if your drink has been “spiked” or not before you drink it. There was a video out a while ago (going around via e-mail) that illustrated how quickly this drug could be dropped in your drink…. even while you were right there.
There are a few sure fire way to prevent this from happening:
1. Become Amish or Mormon (not recommended)
2. Pour your dirty martini into a sippy cup (not for those wishing to maintain any level of dignity)
3. Have parties at home with friends (recommended for its cost savings…. not recommended for those who have previously attempted solution #2, because you will have no friends left)
or finally, common sense rule: (warning, not 100% effective!)
4. Always go to the bar with a group of friends, do not leave your drinks unattended, do not accept drinks brought to you from the bar from people you don’t know, and if you feel it’s necessary, ask for a lid to cover your drink.
I think this article clarifies a lot. a couple years ago i thought it happened to me but i couldn’t be sure. Now after reading these immediate effects i’m sure i was slipped a drug. I was at the bar and let a man buy me a drink. I don’t remember him touching it after the bartender placed it on the bar but i chatted with him for a while and then went to the table away from the bar where my bf was. I had two beers that night and do not remember anymore after going to my bf’s table. The next memory i have is not wanting to move at all, and not really being able to move at all when i started puking at 3am nonstop and my bf taking care of me. the next day he tells me the things i did and how hard it was to control me. I apparently was very aggressive and was throwing cd’s out his car window of songs i didn’t like, while yelling at him. This was a time of my life when i was always out having a good time. But it was also the only time in my life where i never remembered my night. I’ve never believed people when they say they “were so drunk and don’t remember anything” because i’ve had my share of completely drunken nights but always remembered my stupidity the next day. But that one night when i only had two beers, one of which i let someone buy me was the only night i don’t remember a thing. Now that i think about it, i may have had more than two beers since i don’t remember that night, but that beer was the last one i remember. It’s scary to think that if i wasn’t hanging out with my bf that night this man would’ve followed me around and brought me home.