Rohypnol A4 by Holly Tavi

Slang Names ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:29:23 UTC

Forget-Me-Pill, La rocha, Lunch money, Roachies, Wolfies, Roofies, Rib, Mexican valium, Mind erasers, R-2, Circles, Ro, Shays
and Stupefi (Bigelow).
^{"Rohypnol." Foundation for a Drug-Free World. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .}

Scientific Name 👓

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:33:02 UTC

Rohypnol is the brand name for the drug flunitrazepam (Bigelow).

Classifications 🔎

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:34:52 UTC

Schedule III Depressant- decreases activity in the brain and the rest of the body.
---> It's a specific type of depressant called benzodiazepine (however, rohypnol is significantly stronger than most benzodiazepines). These are drugs used to treat anxiety.
Also often referred to as a sedative-hypnotic because it calms people down and induces sleep.
^{"Rohypnol." UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

What is it?

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:35:00 UTC

Rohypnol is a central nervous system depressant. It is also more broadly classified as a benzdiazepine which are "sedative-hypnotics" that are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, seizure disorders, and are used as skeletal muscle relaxants. Although its not approved for production or distribution in the US, it is commonly prescribed in Europe for anxiety and sleeping disorders. It is one of the stronger benzodiazepines, in fact it is 10x more powerful than Valium.
^{"Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) | CESAR." CESAR: Center for Substance Abuse Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. .}

What does it look like?

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:35:30 UTC

"Rohypnol was originally a small, round white pill with the name Roche etched into it along with the number indicating the dose of the pill" but more recently there's a reformulated version of the drug that is "larger, oblong green tablet with the number 542 on one side. The number 542 tablet contains a bright blue dye that is released when it is put in a drink" (Bigelow). This was developed to help prevent its use in facilitated rape by alerting the victim of its presence, however there are loopholes.
^"Rohypnol."^{UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances}^{. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46.}^{Gale Virtual Reference Library}^{. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

How is it taken?

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:35:42 UTC

Rohypnol comes in pill or tablet form or as a solution to be injected. The pill or tablet is swallowed, chewed, or put under the tongue to dissolve slowly. It is also crushed and snorted, dissolved and injected or added to marijuana and smoked. In addition, the pill can be crushed and slipped into someone's drink. It "dissolves somewhat in liquid and cannot be tasted, smelled, or even seen."
^{"Rohypnol." UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

Desired effects...

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:35:58 UTC

Recreational use in small doses causes muscles to relax and relieves anxiety (feelings of worry, being overwhelmed, restless). It is used at nightclubs, music festivals, fraternity parties, and all-night-dance parties called raves, which typically involve huge crowds.
^"Rohypnol."^{UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances}^{. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46.}^{Gale Virtual Reference Library}^{. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

Harmful effects...

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:36:14 UTC

In contrast to its recreational usage in smaller dosages, in higher doses, it can cause loss of muscle control, confusion, drowsiness, amnesia, sleep and even incapacitate the user. This consequently appeals to sex predators who utilize the drug to take advantage of their victim without much resistance. Furthermore, an overdose of rohypnol could result in coma or death.
^"Rohypnol."^{Foundation for a Drug-Free World}^{. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .}

Any Legal Uses?

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:36:26 UTC

Although it is approved in about 60 countries, primarily as a sleeping aid, it has never been legal in the US. In other countries, due to its sedating features, relatively fast effectiveness and impact on memory, Rohypnol is also used prior to surgery as an anesthetic.
^{"Rohypnol." UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

Relevance!

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:36:46 UTC

Rohypnol is used as a date rape drug. As its use was gaining popularity in clubs, "sexual predators realized its power to incapacitate, or paralyze, a person temporarily" in order to take advantage of them (Bigelow). The issue of date rape is very relevant to high school students on the verge of adulthood because it's important to obtain the knowledge necessary to make the right decisions and have the awareness to protect yourself.
In addition, during the transition from high school to college and college to adult life, teens make many life changing decisions and could be put in the situation where there is drug usage. These situations can only be properly handled if you have the knowledge to make the right decisions.
^"Rohypnol."^{UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances}^{. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 831-46.}^{Gale Virtual Reference Library}^{. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.}

History

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 17:36:54 UTC

Benzodiazepines were first developed in the 1950s by a Hoffman-La Roche (a Swiss pharmaceutical company). They modified the structure and then came out with rohypnol in 1975 (as a tranquilizer). Reports of misuse of the drug started in Europe in the 70s. In 1995, the UN reclassified it from a Schedule IV drug to a Schedule III drug. Rohypnol arrived in the US drug scene in 1989 and its abuse became popular among young people.
^{"Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) | CESAR." CESAR: Center for Substance Abuse Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. .}

“Undercover Colors”

tavi_holly20 — 2017-03-22 18:10:00 UTC

Undergraduate students at North Carolina State University developed a nail polish that could detect the presence of a date rape drug (Sullivan). According to the official website, Undercover Colors "is a wearable nail tech that identifies the presence of common date rape drugs in a variety of beverages through color change. How do you use it? "Dip your finger into a verified beverage and within seconds the presence of prevalent date rape drugs will be identified in color change (Undercover Colors)."
^{Undercover Colors. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .
Sullivan, Gail. "Students Develop Nail Polish to Detect Date-rape Drugs." The Washington Post. WP Company, 26 Aug. 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .}

Interestingly enough, this new nail tech has its critics. For more information about it, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sophia-kerby/what-undercover-colors-gets-all-wrong-about-date-rape_b_5722724.html

Image:
^{Anthony, K.S. The team of four Materials Science & Engineering majors have developed a nail polish that changes color when exposed to date rape drugs, including GHB, Rohypnol, and Xanax. The wearer can stir her drink with a finger. If her drink has been tampered with, she'll know within seconds. Digital image. These 4 College Students Have Invented Nail Polish That Detects Date Rape Drugs. A Plus, 25 Aug. 2014. Web. .}