Rohypnol

The effects, the risks, the law.

Slang:

Roofies, R-2.

Background:

Rohypnol is an inexpensive drug intended for use in treating sleep disorders, such as insomnia. The effects are similar to Valium, but 10 times the strength.

Rohypnol is sold on prescription in bubble packs of one or two mg doses (usually in the form of white tablets with the word ROCHE written across). Due to its cheap street price, Rohypnol abuse has become increasingly widespread among teens, college students, and club goers.

Because Rohypnol dissolves quickly in drinks leaving no odour or taste and often leads to blackouts when mixed with alcohol, it has also become known as the 'date rape' drug. Despite the manufacturer's attempt to counter this problem by adding blue dye, and making it slower to dissolve, there are plenty of roofies that contain no such warning ingredients.

The effects:

Rohypnol takes effect within 20 to 30 minutes of administration and lasts up to eight hours;
It acts as a sedative by inducing amnesia, relaxing the muscles, and slowing down psychomotor responses;
Tolerance is likely with repeated use, which means you need more to get the same effect;
If combined with heroin, Rohypnol can enhance the high;
If combined with cocaine, Rohypnol can mellow out the kick;
If combined with alcohol, Rohypnol can increase the feeling of drunkenness and lower inhibitions;

The risks:

Continued abuse of Rohynol can result in physical dependency. Kicking a habit at this stage can be very difficult;
Withdrawal symptoms may include headaches, muscle pain, confusion to hallucinations, and even convulsions. Seizures may occur up to a week after users have quit;
Experts advise controlled withdrawal under medical supervision;
If you're abusing Rohynol or any other benzodiazepine. Consult your doctor before trying to kick the habit.

The law:

Rohypnol is illegal in the United States, however available in the United Kingdom and other countries by prescription only;
The British government is tightening the law on Rohypnol. It illegal to possess the drug without prescription or medical explanation.

If you are planning on taking Rohypnol:

Avoid mixing with any other drugs, particularly other depressants such as alcohol and heroin. Remember that Rohypnol is not a substitute for temazepam, it's actually much stronger than temazepam, and much more toxic too. You may only need half a tablet to get the same effect as a 'jelly'.