SWIZZLE 2004
GHB, KETAMINE, & ROHYPNOL
GHB and Rohypnol are predominantly central nervous system
depressants. Because they are often colorless, tasteless, and odor-
less, they can be added to beverages and ingested unknowingly.
These drugs emerged a few years ago as “date rape” drugs.***
Because of concern about their abuse, Congress passed the “Drug-
Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996” in October
1996. This legislation increased Federal penalties for use of any con-
trolled substance to aid in sexual assault.
GHB
Since about 1990, GHB (gamma
hydroxybutyrate) has been abused in the
U.S. for its euphoric, sedative, and ana-
bolic (body building) effects. It is a cen-
tral nervous system depressant that was
widely available over-the-
counter in health food
stores during the 1980s and
until 1992. It was pur-
chased largely by body
builders to aid in fat reduc-
tion and muscle building.
Street names include “liq-
uid ecstasy,” “soap,” “easy
lay,”
“vita-G,”
and
“Georgia home boy.”
Coma and seizures can
occur following abuse of
GHB. Combining use with
10 APRIL 1, 2004 SWIZZLE
other drugs such as alcohol can result in
nausea and breathing difficulties. GHB
may also produce withdrawal effects,
including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and
sweating. GHB and two of its precursors,
gamma butyrolactone (GBL)
and 1,4 butanediol (BD) have
been involved in poisonings,
overdoses, date rapes, and
deaths.
Ketamine
Ketamine is an anesthetic
that has been approved for both
human and animal use in med-
ical settings since 1970; about
90 percent of the ketamine legal-
ly sold is intended for veterinary
use. It can be injected or snorted.
Ketamine is also known as “special K” or
“vitamin K.”
Certain doses of ketamine can cause
dream-like states and hallucinations. In
high doses, ketamine can cause delirium,
amnesia, impaired motor function, high
blood pressure, depression, and potential-
ly fatal respiratory problems.
Rohypnol
Rohypnol, a trade name for
flunitrazepam, belongs to a
class of drugs known as benzo-
diazepines. When mixed with
alcohol, Rohypnol can inca-
pacitate victims and pre-
vent them from resisting
sexual assault. It can
produce “anterograde
amnesia,”
which
means individuals may
not remember events
they experienced while
under the effects of the
drug. Also, Rohypnol
may be lethal when
mixed with alcohol
and/or other depres-
sants.
Rohypnol is not
approved for use in the
United States, and its importation is
banned. Illicit use of Rohypnol started
appearing in the United States in the early
1990s, where it became known as
“rophies,” “roofies,” “roach,” and “rope.”
Abuse of two other similar drugs
appears to have replaced Rohypnol abuse
in some regions of the country. These are
clonazepam, marketed in the U.S. as
Klonopin and in Mexico as Rivotril, and
alprazolam, marketed as Xanax.
Rohypnol, however, continues to
be a problem among treatment
admissions in Texas along the
Mexican border.
ew
* The latest data on drug abuse-related
hospital emergency department (ED)
visits are from the 2002 Drug Abuse
Warning Network (DAWN) report.
For detailed information, visit
www.samhsa.gov/statistics/statis-
tics.html, or call the National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and
Drug Information at 1-800-729-
6686.
**
From
Community
Epidemiology Work Group
(CEWG), based on data pub-
lished in the CEWG Advance
Report for December 2002.
CEWG reports are on NIDA’s
Web site at www.drugabuse.gov.
*** Also known as “drug rape,”
“acquaintance rape,” or “drug-
assisted” assault.
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