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Roofies
Something worthy for reading and knowing.
--
Minh
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 1997 08:26:53 -0500 (EST)
From: "Geoffrey C. Bartlett" <email>
To: Tufts Emergency Medical Services <email>
Subject: Roofies
This is an article about Rohypnol, a drug that is recently becoming
popular in date rapes. It is a small white pill that disolves easily in
water or alcoholic drinks. I strongly suggest that you read this article.
Its an inexpensive drug and is becoming more popular on college campuses.
To date I am unaware of any incidents involving Rohypnol here at Tufts,
but this is not to say that the potential does not exist.
-Geoff
'Roofies', The New "Date Rape" Drug of Choice
By Clark Staten, ERRI Executive Director
Chicago, IL., January 6, 1995 (ENN) --Like the Quaaludes of the 60's
and 70's, there is a new "love drug" being abused in several parts of
the country. The drug is Rohypnol, or "Roofies" as it being is called
on the street. It is also called "ruffies", "roche", "R-2", "rib" and
"rope" and reportedly is quickly becoming the "date rape drug of
choice."
Rohypnol is a brand name for flunitrazepam (a benzodiazepine), a very
potent tranquilizer similar in nature to valium (diazepam), but many
times stronger. The drug produces a sedative effect, amnesia, muscle
relaxation, and a slowing of psychomotor responses. Sedation occurs
20-30 minutes after administration and lasts for several hours. The
drug is often distributed on the street in it's original "bubble
packaging" which adds an air of legitimacy and makes it appear to be
legal. The drug is not commonly used by physicians in the United
States and is not even listed in the commonly used Physician's Desk
Reference.
Illicit use of Rohypnol was originally reported in Europe in the late
1970's and world-wide use of it has continually increased since then.
According to police sources in both Florida and Texas, "roofies" were
first seen in the United States in the early 1990's; they quickly
gained acceptance and use by both high school and college students.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) more than
1,000 cases of illegal Rohypnol possession have been reported
recently, in thirteen states. Reports have also been received of it
being popular in "gay bars" in selected locations on both the East and
West coasts. In fact, Rohypnol is now being reported as being one of
the "in" drugs on high school and college campuses and particularly in
college fraternities. And to make matters worse, "Roofies" are
inexpensive and reportedly being sold for as little as $2.00-$4.00 per
tablet in several locations.
According to a University of Florida drug hotline, "Roofies" are often
combined with alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine to produce a rapid and
very dramatic "high". Even when used by itself, users can appear
extremely intoxicated, with slurred speech, no coordination, swaying,
and blood-shot eyes...with no odor of alcohol. The drug has been added
to punch and other drinks at fraternity parties and college social
gatherings, where it is reportedly given to female party participants
in hopes of lowered inhibitions and facilitating potential sexual
conquest. Police departments in several parts of the country say that
after ingestion of "Roofies" that several young women have reported
waking up in frat houses with no clothes on, finding themselves in
unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar people, or having actually
been sexually assaulted while under the influence of the drug.
As insidious, disgusting and perilous as this may sound, the dangers
don't stop there. Besides the worries of unprotected sex, Rohypnol,
particularly when mixed with alcohol or other drugs may lead to
respiratory depression, aspiration, and even death. When taken
repeatedly, it can lead to physical and psychic dependence, which is
thought to increase with both dose and duration of use. An amnesia
producing effect of "Roofies" may prevent users from remembering how
or why they took the drug or even that they were given it by others.
This makes investigation of sexually related or other offenses very
difficult and may account for repeated reports of "date rapes"
involving the use of the drug.
Both law enforcement and drug counseling services caution that the use
of Rohypnol is increasing and that additional quantities of it are
being imported across the Mexican border, where it can be obtained by
prescription. ERRI drug abuse analysts warn that "Roofies" are just
another in a long list of dangerous drugs that are being imported and
"pushed" to the impressionable youth of this country.
(c) Emergencynet NEWS Service, 1996
Emergency Response & Research Institute
6348 N. Milwaukee Ave., #312, Chicago, IL 60646
(312) 631-ERRI - Voice/Voice Mail
(312) 631-4703 - Fax
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Internet: <email>
Geoffrey C. Bartlett <email>
Tufts University EMS 520 Boston Avenue
Massachusetts EMT-Defib Medford, MA 02155
(617) 627-3868 office (617) 627-3789 fax
(617) 628-5000 x5659 bunkroom (617) 666-3030 emergency
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