Roofies/ Date Rape Drug

[JustAskJulie]

It's so unfortunate to see people in the lifestyle so desperate for sex that they would resort to this... but they are around.

Don't ever let anyone give you the line "we are all swingers here" as an excuse for why you should trust anyone.

This is a message that has gone out from NASCA in regards to Rohypnol

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Authorities say "roofies" have been surfacing more and more frequently across the country in recent months.

What people are saying...
"The victims don't even know what happened to them; if anything happened to them. It's gotta be terrifying to wake up and not know what you've been doing for the last eight hours or so."
"Like, a lot of parties I go to, it's usually there," he says. "If it's not there, there's always someone around who has it, but it's been around for the past few months. It's really picked up a lot."

What are people using it for? "Just to party with," he says. "I mean, some people don't know that you can pass out from it."

The DEA is currently trying to get it re-classified as a drug with no medical purpose, like heroin or LSD. Rohypnol is currently in the same class of drugs as marijuana.

Nicknames for Rohypnol-"roofies," "roachies," "rophies," "ruffies," "roofenol," "roche," "La Rocha," "rope," and "the forget pill."

What is Rohypnol?
Rohypnol (pronounced row-hip-nole) is not legally available in the United States, even for medicinal purposes, but it is an approved medicine In most other parts of the world, prescribed mainly for the short-term treatment of sleep disorders. Rohypnol is a tranquilizer like Valium, yet is 10 times more potent. The drug produces sedative effects, including amnesia, muscle relaxation, and the slowing of psychomotor performance. Sedation occurs 20 to 30 minutes after administration of a 2-mg tablet and lasts for approximately 8 hours.
Illicit use of Rohypnol originated in Europe in the 1970s and has increased worldwide since then. However, the substance did not appear in the United States until the early 1990s. In 1992, a South Florida hotline began receiving calls reporting occasional to chronic abuse of the drug. Around the same time, the drug appeared in Texas as well. Today, use of Rohypnol is one of the fastest growing drug problems in both areas. In addition, the drug appears to be spreading across the United States. As of April 1995, the Drug Enforcement Administration had documented over 1,000 cases of Rohypnol possession across 13 states.

Rohypnol use by youths of all socioeconomic status has been reported. The inexpensive cost, ranging from $2 to $3 per pill, attracts young users. High school students report use of the drug as a cheap drunk and as a cure for alcohol hangovers. Typically, however, Rohypnol is used along with alcohol and other drugs. College students using Rohypnol report mixing it with beer to enhance the feeling of drunkenness. It has also been reported to be used in combination with marijuana and cocaine, as well as heroin. Rohypnol use appears to be spreading in the United States among high school and college youth. In some areas, it is associated with gangs, and it is becoming known as a club drug.

The use of Rohypnol itself is dangerous, leading to physical and psychological dependence, which increases with dose and duration of use. However, there are other dangers linked to the use of this substance. Rohypnol is typically sold in its original bubble packaging, conveying a sense of legality and security in its use. The perceived safety of the drug along with the trend of use in combination with other substances, creates the possibility of Rohypnol becoming a gateway to harder drugs. An equally serious danger is the reported use of Rohypnol as a "date rape" drug of choice. While this specific use may not be pervasive, it is cause for concern.

What to look for:
Rohypnol creates a bitter taste when dissolved in alcohol. By now, lots of red warning lights should be flashing in your head. For starters, be aware of the color, texture, and taste of your drinks; accepting pre-purchased, open drinks of any kind from strangers and casual acquaintances should be avoided (unfortunately, this may harken back to mom and dad saying, "Don't accept candy from strangers"). Rohypnol's misuse also makes it advisable not to leave drinks unattended, even in familiar surroundings.

News Flash About Rohypnol
There is good news about Rohypnol: its manufacturer recently reformulated the drug to make it more detectable. When put in a light-colored drink, new Rohypnol will now turn the beverage bright blue. Consumers of darker-colored beverages should be tipped off by a cloudy appearance. The drug will also dissolve more slowly and form small chunky pieces (how pleasant). Keep in mind that it may take a while for this new Rohypnol to hit the streets.

It's possible for people who were sexually assaulted and suspect that they were drugged to be tested for the presence of Rohypnol and other drugs. These drugs can usually be detected in urine for about three days after ingestion, sometimes even a little longer. However, the sooner someone is tested, the better. Most rape crisis centers and hospitals will be able to run these tests.
Here are some more links with more information: http://www.ask.com http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/rohypnol/rohypnol.htm http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/rohypnol.htm http://www.emergency.com/roofies.htm
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This information provided by http://www.nasca.org

I know couples that have had this drug used on them AT swinger clubs. No matter where you are whether it's a swinger club or nightclub, never set your drink down unattended or let someone else fix you a drink. If you are at a bar, order the drink yourself and don't let it pass through someone else's hands to get to you. This drug is very dangerous and people have died from it.

Be careful!

Julie http://www.swingersboard.com

Thanks for the info., Julie!

Our daughter's drink was "spiked" with this drug while at a friend's party, unknowingly of course. Thank God her b/f was there with her, he carried her to the car and drove her home, knowing that "something" was just not right! She did see her doctor the next day to find out what was the matter, and they found traces of this drug in her.

They couldn't prove who or where this drug came from. But now, she's a little more cautious when she goes on her "outtings".


Wife of CyberMWCouple

[This message has been edited by CyberMWCouple (edited 02-16-2001).]

[JustAskJulie]

I wanted to pop this warning back up as it is still pertinent. I debated making it sticky since it is a very important topic.

Has anyone else had any encounters with this while swinging or in other situations?

[OhioCouple]

Originally posted by JustAskJulie
I wanted to pop this warning back up as it is still pertinent. I debated making it sticky since it is a very important topic.

I think it is a very important topic myself and being a sticky would allow other such info to be front and foremost.

Many years ago, I had someone spike a drink with something. I don't know what it was to this day. I had only one alcoholic beverage and I was three sheets to the wind. I have no recollection of the night, I only knew where I woke up and it wasn't pretty. I must have been about 23 or so at the time.

To this day if we are out in a restaurant, pub or club, I will not leave my drink alone be it coffee, soda or an alcoholic beverage if there is not someone there that I trust to watch it. Sometimes I end up dumping it if I have to take it to the restroom with me and they dont have a sanitary place to set the drink down. It's always better to be safe, than sorry.

I work in the medical profession and have read some staggering reports about Rohypnol (and it’s cousin GHB). Caution is definitely the watchword and it’s NEVER too early to start talking to one’s children.

The overarching problem is that the manufacturer inadvertently created the perfect drug for sexual predators. It’s easy to conceal (roughly ten times more psychoactive than an equal amount of Valium), it’s synergistic with alcohol (multiplying its affect), and worst of all, one of its side effects is mild amnesia.

In our society, a large number of non-drug related sexual assaults go unreported. The number of unreported “roofie rapes” must be enormous. .

[TeamSoBe]

I recently relocated from a college town, where I worked as a volunteer EMT for a couple of years. I can definitely verify that date rapes related to both roofies and GHB (and GBL) are very common. I worked on a medic unit where we were one unit out of about 10 units in a town of about maybe 100,000 people, and I would normally expect to see at least one or two calls to OD's on a Friday or Saturday night. About half would be female, and almost all of the female OD's would involve a rape. Do the math, that's a lot of date rapes.

With roofies it's pretty clear cut and obvious when you see it. With GHB and GBL it's harder because a lot of people who are intentionally consenting to sex use G on purpose. Sometimes when you get a female OD it's hard to figure out whether it was a rape or a legitimate sex party. It's the social workers' problem, not the emergency crews' or the ER staffs', but the whole thing sucks just the same.

Some of you might have heard of a recent documentary movie called "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent". It focuses on a notorious rape case from the town that I'm talking about, during the time that I'm talking about. A stripper at a frat party had sex with some frat guys and reported it as rape. A video tape of the incident was discovered later and a huge controversy ended up blowing up over whether she consented or not. People who see the movie (which includes the important footage from the tape) end up split on whether she was raped or not, it's very difficult to judge if you don't have experience. She insists that she was drugged through a spiked drink but she was never given a toxicology screening and she just appears fucked up on the tape. It's painfully obvious to anybody who lived in that town at that time that she was on G during the incident, but she never admits to knowing what she was on because she's concerned about her image and of course the frat boys won't admit to it, so the fact that she got loaded on G and fucked these guys is like a terrible inside joke for a lot of us.

For those of us who can clearly see that she's on G because we know what it looks like and because we've done G ourselves many times, we still argue among ourselves about whether it was a rape. We used to have parties where we would sit down with friends completely sober before the party and everybody would clearly agree, out loud, about what their intent was. Then we would all do G together, it's like willingly waiving your ability to say "no", which is great when you're with friends and everybody clearly consents when they are of sound mind and body. In this girl's case the line is much more fuzzy. Did she know that she was drinking G? I personally think that she did, in which case she knew what would happen, it was a big part of the local culture at the time. A lot of people disagree with me, obviously, and I admit myself that my thinking sounds a lot like the "she was asking for it" defense, which I'm the first to declare invalid.

My overall point is that date rape drugs are not only a serious problem, but that they are also a much more complex problem than some people might think since lots of people use them intentionally.

[highlander]

I think there is a big problem with fuzzyness around how the laws on intent are interpreted. I think it is a safe bet that if consent is given in front a impartial third party while sober, then it is real. Otherwise, I think it ought to consistently be ruled in the womans favor.

Originally posted by TeamSoBe
For those of us who can clearly see that she's on G because we know what it looks like and because we've done G ourselves many times, we still argue among ourselves about whether it was a rape. We used to have parties where we would sit down with friends completely sober before the party and everybody would clearly agree, out loud, about what their intent was. Then we would all do G together, it's like willingly waiving your ability to say "no", which is great when you're with friends and everybody clearly consents when they are of sound mind and body. In this girl's case the line is much more fuzzy. Did she know that she was drinking G? I personally think that she did, in which case she knew what would happen, it was a big part of the local culture at the time. A lot of people disagree with me, obviously, and I admit myself that my thinking sounds a lot like the "she was asking for it" defense, which I'm the first to declare invalid.

My overall point is that date rape drugs are not only a serious problem, but that they are also a much more complex problem than some people might think since lots of people use them intentionally.

[OhioCouple]

I was searching for another thread and came across this one which I thought deserved to be brought back up, due to its importance.

Has anyone else ever experienced this situation?

[yawanna]

Is GHB in the same category? Or even another name for this drug?

[Brit_Pair]

The 'spiking' of drinks appears to be on the rise here in the UK, sufficiently so as to inspire a number of new campaigns to make people aware of the dangers of leaving a drink unattended in a pub or club, or accepting a drink from a stranger, or sharing drinks with other people.

Tip: buy your drinks in narrow-necked bottles (not much of a suggestion for those whose favourite tipples come in whisky tumblers!), and when you're not sipping from it, keep it in your hand with your thumb over the top. Wherever you go, take your bottle with you. If you want to dance (and assuming that taking glass onto the dance floor is verboten) then finish your drink first, or abandon it altogether.

Sad that such precautions are necessary in places, but then as a species, we're not always renowned for our good sides.

[curcpl_2004]

Thanks for all the info on this subject! As parents we need all the info that we can get about these drugs. Fortunately for us, we can have time to head off a situation like the ones described above. Daughter is not old enouph to date or go to parties yet.

I hope that CyberMWCouple's daughter realizes what a special, caring and attentive person her b/f (at the time) is/was. What a great kid, to be that responsible and alert for his g/f 's safety !!

[HotCoupleGnS]

Has anyone actually tried GHB? It is a dangerous drug, but then aren't they all? Hubby & I have tried it together. We didn't drink alcohol with it, so I'm sure it effected us differently then if we had a drink. I'll just tell you that it was one of the most awesome feelings ever. Better than drinking. But it is a dangerous drug used in a wrong way.
But, I'll never understand this, how some people will preach on one drug, then do another. They are all drugs, wether they be prescription or "illegal" drugs.
S

[Adidasv40]

^
I for one don't use drugs. But i work for a harm reduction drug website centered around ecstasy.

GHB, is harmless, if you're educated about it and use it responsibly. I've heard of alot of people using it to enhance sexual pleasure. Same with ecstacy.

GHB is actually the #1 date rape drug. Which, when anyone stoops to that level, i could care less if they got the chair for it. It's unexcusable.

Another issue about drugs, that alot of females aren't aware of, is mixing Xanex with large amounts of alcohol. Like clockwork, it creates large blackout periods.

I'm not going to tell what someone should or should not put into their bodies, and i stand 100% against people forcing or sneaking something to someone else for any reason (especially to take advantage of them), but i think if you're to use something. Educate yourself about it.

For answers to any question about harm related to drugs (except you cannot ask for sources), go to www.bluelight.nu or www.dancesafe.org. Browsing www.lyceaum.org has lots of information too.