Rohypnol, or better known to popular culture by its nickname “roofies,” is illegal in the United States, and yet still manages to make quite the splash in our society.
While you’d have to have been living under a rock not to hear stories about the incredibly scary and dangerous date rape drug Rohypnol, you probably haven’t heard a fraction of the number of stories about its more common use, a recreational party drug belonging to the family of “club drugs”. In fact, Rohypnol is regularly used by high school and college-aged kids, ravers, clubbers, as well as heroin and cocaine users.
Why Do People Abuse Rohypnol?
Especially after hearing all of the terrible reports about Rohypnol-assisted sexual assault, it can be difficult to comprehend why anyone would intentionally take this volatile substance. Here is a list of the main recreational reasons people abuse this drug:
- Ingesting Rohypnol can produce an intense, extreme level of intoxication with no other substances necessary. Combine it with alcohol or marijuana-like so many do and the level of intoxication increases exponentially.
- Heroin addicts actually abuse Rohypnol for a few different reasons. For starters, Rohypnol can intensify the high produced by heroin as well as make it last longer which can be attractive to many addicts. Since this drug is in the sedative class, it can also help relieve some of the nasty withdrawal symptoms that come along with heroin addiction like anxiety as well as insomnia.
- Rohypnol is often taken along with stimulants like methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy) to ease some of their more unpleasant side effects, like paranoia and the jitters for example.
- Rohypnol is reported by some to increase their sex drive and appetite.
- Rohypnol is very often abused after heavy binges of cocaine as a method of weakening the crash that comes along with it.
Rohypnol Addiction
It’s important to remember that Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine, which is a central nervous system depressant and very powerful sedative. Rohypnol is said to be one of the most addictive drugs out of all of the benzodiazepines. To provide a better understanding, the active ingredient in Rohypnol is approximately 10 times more powerful than that of Valium, another better-known benzodiazepine. Chronic abuse of the drug will result in increased tolerance, physical dependence and ultimately addiction.
With addiction comes withdrawal symptoms and Rohypnol is no different. Withdrawal symptoms run the gamut from headaches, muscle pain and severe anxiety to delirium, hallucinations and seizures, which can be fatal. The bottom line is that Rohypnol is highly addictive, has an enormous risk of overdose, and has life-threatening side effects making it an extremely dangerous drug.
Destination Hope is a drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis treatment center in Florida. Club drugs like Rohypnol have become a real hazard to a substantial portion of the population, in spite of the fact that they’re illegal to import in America.
Of course, Rohypnol is a real threat to women who unwittingly ingest them as victims of sexual predators, but it is also a threat to the men and women who take them voluntarily to increase their high or help them come down from another drug. The overdose risk with this drug is through the roof. If you or a loved one is abusing Rohypnol or any other club drugs, please call us today before things get any more out of hand.
