Rohypnol (Roofies)
Rohypnol® has been a concern for the last few years because of its abuse as a "date rape" drug. People may unknowingly be given the drug which,
when mixed with alcohol, can incapacitate and prevent a victim from resisting sexual assault. Also, Rohypnol® may be lethal when mixed with alcohol and/or
other depressants.
Rohypnol® produces sedative-hypnotic effects including muscle relaxation and amnesia. In Miami, one of the first sites of Rohypnol® abuse, poison
control centers report an increase in withdrawal seizures among people addicted to Rohypnol®.
Rohypnol® is not approved for use in the United States and its importation is banned. Illicit use of Rohypnol® began in Europe in the 1970s and started
appearing in the United States in the early 1990s, where it became known as "rophies," "roofies," "roach," "rope," and the
"date rape" drug.
Another very similar drug is clonazepam, marketed in the U.S. as Klonopin® and in Mexico as Rivotril®. It is sometimes abused to enhance the effects of
heroin and other opiates.
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