Rohypnol | What Kind of Drug Is It?
What Kind of Drug Is It?
Rohypnol (roh-HIPP-nahl) is the brand name for the drug flunitrazepam (flu-nih-TRAZ-uh-pam). Rohypnol is a depressant, which means it decreases activity in the brain and the rest of the body. There are two main types of medical depressants: barbiturates (bar-BIH-chuh-rits), which are used as sleeping pills and are often referred to as "downers"; and benzodiazepines (ben-zoh-die-AZ-uh-peenz), a group of drugs used to treat anxiety. Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine.
Rohypnol is often referred to as a sedative-hypnotic as well, because it calms people down and brings on sleep. In addition, Rohypnol causes muscles to relax, eases anxiety (feelings of being extremely overwhelmed, restless, and worried), and reduces the severity of seizure conditions. Although it is approved for use in about sixty countries (primarily as a sleeping aid), it is not and never has been a legal substance in the United States.
In the early to mid-1990s, a marked increase in the use of Rohypnol was being reported worldwide. In the United States, more young people in college and high school were using it recreationally to get high, not to treat a medical condition. Youth used the drug at nightclubs, music festivals, fraternity parties, and all-night dance parties called raves, which typically involve huge crowds of people, loud techno music, and illegal drug use.
Because of its popularity among club-goers, Rohypnol joined the group of drugs commonly referred to as club drugs. These drugs, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), include cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), GBL, GHB, ketamine, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), methamphetamine, PCP (phencyclidine), and psilocybin. (Separate entries on each of these drugs are available in this encyclopedia.) All of these substances are used to enhance the club experience.
Date Rape Drug
As Rohypnol was gaining popularity as a club drug, sexual predators realized its power to incapacitate, or paralyze, a person temporarily. The drug also causes a special type of amnesiaThe loss of memory. that stops the brain from remembering new events. Consequently, users find
that they cannot remember what goes on during the time they are under the influence of Rohypnol.
The combination of being able to incapacitate a victim and wipe out hours of memories is very attractive to criminals. The drug allows them to take advantage of their prey without much resistance—and have a greater chance of getting away with it. Because of this, Rohypnol is considered a "date rape drug." In the mid- to late-1990s, it was linked to a large number of date and acquaintance rapes. In these cases, the rapist is usually someone the victim knows.