Rohypnol - Overview

Overview

The Swiss drug company Hoffmann-La Roche originally developed Rohypnol in the 1970s. It was one of a number of benzodiazepines the company was working on at the time. Rohypnol turned out to be the most powerful drug of its kind on the market—ten times stronger than Valium, a benzodiazepine. Valium is a legal drug available by prescription in the United States. But Rohypnol has never been approved for sale—even for medical use—in the United States. However, it is one of the most popular benzodiazepines sold in Europe, Mexico, South America, and Asia.

Rohypnol acts rapidly on the body. Its effects kick in about fifteen to twenty minutes after it is taken. Because of its strength and its ability to stop memories from forming, Rohypnol is given to patients as an anesthetic to deaden pain before surgeries. In addition, it is taken as a sedativeA drug used to treat anxiety and calm people down. and sleep aid.

The Problem of Smuggling

Although Rohypnol is not approved for use in the United States, it became popular as a low-cost recreational drug among some drug-using Americans in the 1990s. Recreational drugs are those taken purely to get high. It is believed that Rohypnol made its first U.S. appearance in 1989, when it was brought in from South America to Florida. From that point on, according to the 2003 fact sheet on Rohypnol published by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the drug has been shipped into the United States through international mail or courier services from other countries, especially Colombia. People have been known to cross the U.S. border into Mexico, buy the drug at Mexican pharmacies, then bring it back to the United States.

In the early 1990s, abuse of Rohypnol became a serious problem in the United States. In response, the U.S. Customs Service began cracking down on the smuggling—or illegal import—of Rohypnol into the country. Smuggling was highest in Texas and Florida. This action by U.S. Customs decreased the amount of Rohypnol being brought in to the country.

Rohypnol: The Club Drug

Club drugs are the drugs of choice for use at music festivals, dance parties, and raves. Users take them to enhance the sensations of sight and sound and to heighten their feelings as they interact with others. Because these drugs help break down social inhibitionsInner thoughts that keep people from engaging in certain activities., users typically take them in crowded settings. The most popular club drugs are ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, and Rohypnol.

The popularity of these drugs is linked to their cost and availability. They are relatively inexpensive (a few dollars each) and easy to distribute and take without being noticed. They all come in pill,

Rohypnol is widely available in Mexico, but it is illegal to bring the drug across the border. At this border crossing between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Isidro, California, customs agents have a huge job checking cars and trucks entering the cou
Rohypnol is widely available in Mexico, but it is illegal to bring the drug across the border. At this border crossing between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Isidro, California, customs agents have a huge job checking cars and trucks entering the country. © Lynsey Addario/Corbis.

powder, or liquid form. Many people take them with alcohol, which increases the risk of side effects. These effects may include dizziness, confusion, and violent behavior and can lead to overdose.

Drug-Facilitated Rape

Drugs can cause people to lose control of their minds and bodies for a certain period of time. This leaves people vulnerable to others. In the case of drug-facilitated rape, rapists use drugs to overpower their unsuspecting victims. Most drug-facilitated rapes involve Rohypnol or another fast-acting depressant called GHB. Found in small quantities in the human body, GHB was once marketed as a sleep aid and a body-building supplement. Both Rohypnol and GHB are usually taken in combination with alcohol. These depressants work quickly to incapacitate a victim, making it easier for a rapist to attack.

Rohypnol is a very powerful substance that causes heavy sedation. It leaves users motionless, silent, and unable to remember events that occur during its use. A few years after Rohypnol was introduced in the United States, a high number of sexual assaults were being reported in which the drug played a role in subduing the victim. Rape victims were reporting attacks that they didn't remember but showed physical signs of enduring.

This alarming trend caused the U.S. Congress to pass the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996. The act increased the penalties against criminals who use drugs in their attacks or distribute or possess Rohypnol. The DEA banned the drug in the United States in 1997. "No one really knows how common drug-facilitated rape is because today's research tools do not offer a means of measuring the number of incidents," noted Nora Fitzgerald and K. Jack Riley in a 2000 article titled "Drug-Facilitated Rape: Looking for the Missing Pieces."

The Unsuspecting Victim

Rohypnol is tasteless, odorless, and colorless (except for the newer tablets of Rohypnol that contain a dye that is released when mixed with liquids). After a rapist picks a potential victim, he decides how to get the nearly undetectable drug into the victim's drink. He either buys a beverage for the victim and slips the drug into the drink before it is served, or tries to get close enough to the victim to spike the drink when no one is looking. That's why it is so important not to accept drinks from strangers, share drinks, or leave a drink unattended. Drinks in punch bowls should also be avoided.

Banned in the United States

In 1997, Rohypnol was banned in the United States. This means it cannot be sold or used in the United States in any form or for any purpose, including medical uses. Other drugs with similar properties, such as Valium, would have to be used in its place. As of 2005, Rohypnol was still being used in Europe and Latin America. Some South American countries even sell it over the counter.

Despite the U.S. ban, Rohypnol that is manufactured and sold legally in other countries manages to make its way into the United States. However, the supply of the smuggled drug does not always match the high demand on American streets. To meet that demand, dealers may provide poor substitutes that are not made under the strict quality-control measures followed by the actual manufacturer of Rohypnol. Therefore, a user cannot be sure of the drug's effectiveness, purity, or safety. A so-called "knock-off" Rohypnol pill could contain more or less of the active ingredients than the original, and it may contain other substances that could be harmful to the user.

Once Rohypnol is in a drink and the victim consumes it, the effects of the drug become evident quite quickly, usually within fifteen minutes or so. The victim will begin to feel sick or disoriented and most likely think it's from drinking too much alcohol. People around the victim may not notice anything strange. The victim might even accept help from the would-be

Because Rohypnol is colorless and odorless, it can be used to spike just about any beverage. Thus, it has gained a reputation as a date rape drug. To help consumers know if their drinks are free of such drugs, Drink Detective testing kits hit t
Because Rohypnol is colorless and odorless, it can be used to "spike" just about any beverage. Thus, it has gained a reputation as a date rape drug. To help consumers know if their drinks are free of such drugs, Drink Detective testing kits hit the market in 2004. © Stephen Hird/Reuters/Corbis.

rapist in getting to a bathroom or getting home. At this point, the rapist has gained control of the victim and might take advantage of the victim.

Rape victims who are drugged with Rohypnol often don't know how the attack occurred. They remember being at a bar or a party, but the next thing they know they wake up in a strange place and show signs of having been abused. In some cases, victims may even wake up in the middle of an attack but be too physically weakened by the drug to do anything to stop it. Gail Abarbanel, in Fitzgerald and Riley's article, pointed out that "in drug-facilitated rapes, [victims are subjected] to an extreme form of powerlessness."