Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam)Rohypnol HistoryAlso Called RoofiesRohypnol (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 DrugRohypnol 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. UseFlunitrazepam 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. SchedulingIn 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 SheetFlunitrazepam 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. Books Benzo Blues: |