The word “roofie”, which originated in the 90’s as slang for the drug Rohypnol, is familiar to most teens. It brings to mind Euphoria-esque images of spiked drinks and parties, where girls keep an eye on each other’s cups and no beverage is left unattended. Aside from these cautionary tales and ill-informed teen TV shows, however, information about roofies and other date rape drugs is not nearly accessible enough to high schoolers. With that in mind, here’s a crash course:
Rohypnol, originally used as a treatment for insomnia, was made illegal in the U.S. in 1996 as its use in sexual assault cases became more and more frequent. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Rohypnol is a sedative and hypnotic drug, causing drowsiness and muscle relaxation, as well as amnesia.
It is colorless, flavorless, and odorless, making it all too easy to dissolve into a drink. (As a response to the rise of drugged drinks, the manufacturer of Rohypnol was required to create tablets that turn liquid blue when dissolved, but generic versions are often white.)
GHB, another drug frequently used to spike drinks, has similar but not identical symptoms to Rohypnol. It acts as nervous system depressants as well but is usually found in powder or liquid form, whereas Rohypnol is most often a pill. Both of these drugs can take effect in 20 minutes or less.
When asked about the danger of roofies and similar drugs, Veronica Castro in the Teen Health Center said being informed is the most important thing. “My girls promise me that they’re very familiar, or aware, about how to protect their beverages when they go out,” she says.
She remembers a patient she once had who was roofied. The patient, after being found near the bar, came into the hospital and was “Just absolutely devastated. It’s just heartbreaking.” Castro added that there have been recent incidents, mainly in Europe, of date rape drugs like Rohypnol or Ketamine being injected into bar and night club goers without their knowledge. “It’s terrifying.”
According to the University of Washington, dizziness, blackouts, bad vision/hearing, and sudden drowsiness are all symptoms of being drugged by Rohypnol or GHB. If you or a friend are exhibiting these symptoms, call 911 and get help as quickly as possible.
Roofies are not a myth, nor are they a rare occurrence, only prevalent at out-of-control fraternity parties and creepy Hinge dates. They’re very real, which is why ignorance can be so dangerous. The best way to keep people safe from drugs like Rohypnol and GHB is to educate them, and we need to do a better job of that.
