Drug Profile: Rohypnol

Manufacturer: Hoffman-La Roche

Generic Name: flunitrazepam

Forms:  immediate release tablets

Street Names:  Ruffies, forget pill, date rape drug, rochas dos, trip and fall, ruffles, ropples, wolfies, Mexican valium, mind erasers, getting roached, sedexes, roaches, robutal, pingus, R2, forget-me pill, lunch money drug, roofies, row-shay, rope, circles, roapies, or ribs (Read Drug Slang You Should Know).

Appearance (What does Rohypnol look like?):  scored white tablets with “Roche” imprinted on one side and the dose (either 1 mg or 2 mg) imprinted on the other.

Pharmacological Class: benzodiazepine similar to Valium, but the sedative properties are significantly stronger

Medical Uses:   Not approved for medical use in the U.S. Used in the treatment of insomnia or as a pre-anesthesia medication for surgery in other regions of the world such as Colombia, Europe, and Mexico.

Mechanism:  Like other benzodiazepines, it enhances the impact of the neurotransmitter GABA by binding to receptors in the brain that are involved in sedation, coordination, memory, and anxiety.

Availability: Schedule 4 (Read Drug Scheduling and the DEA) 

FDA Pregnancy Category:  The effects on an unborn baby are indeterminate (Read FDA Pregnancy Drug Categories).

Addiction Potential:  moderate

Possible Side Effects:  disorientation, gastrointestinal disturbances extreme temperature changes, nausea, dizziness, slurred speech, visual problems, impaired judgment, hypotension (low blood pressure), impaired coordination, aggression, amnesia, urinary retention.

Possible Withdrawal Symptoms: similar to those associated with other benzodiazepines including tremors, anxiety, agitation, restlessness, seizures, and hallucinations.

Warning Signs of Abuse:  Because the drug is not legal in the U.S., possessing or using Rohypnol in any way could arguably be considered abuse.  More specifically, crushing tablets into powder to snort is a particularly concerning sign of abuse as would be administering the substance frequently or at high doses. Using with other substances or selling/trading the drug may also signal a person with a substance abuse problem.

Signs of Overdose:  slowed respiration, coma, extreme sedation, poor balance, impaired speech, potentially fatal.  Get medical attention for someone who has potentially overdosed on Rohypnol as soon as possible (Read Why You Shouldn’t Fight Addiction Alone and Overdose: Why It Happens & What to Do When It Does).

Controversies Related to Rohypnol:

• A major controversy surrounding Rohypnol has been its use as a date-rape drug, which is why it cannot be legally prescribed or acquired in the United States.  Because Rohypnol causes temporary amnesia, it makes it difficult for victims to remember details about their experiences, which could cause delays in detecting the drug in their system or successfully prosecuting the crime (Read Blackouts: Why They Happen and What They Mean and Substance Use and Sex: Know the Risks).
• Some substance users or addicts may take Rohypnol in combination with other substances like alcohol, cocaine, or heroin to intensify their experience (Read Mixing Substances: What You Should Know).  This can increase a person’s impairments, making them an even more dangerous driver (Read Drugged Driving).  Although most commonly administered orally, it may also be crushed and snorted to enter the bloodstream more quickly (Read Method of Administration: Why “How” Matters).