Beware of date rape drugs

The most common drug used to vicitimise unwitting young girls into drug-facilitated sexual assault is Roofies, writes Dr KK Aggarwal.

A few months back a judge allegedly raped a female and recently a medical intern in Delhi allegedly raped a patient. One keeps hearing such news much too often. Many a time it is a gang rape. All have one in common. The girl was given some water or soft drink to drink and after that she does not remember anything.

Once caught, often the defence of the accused is that the girl was a party to the sexual act. The most commonly used drug in such cases is Roofies.

The use of such “predator” or “date rape drugs” is common in India. These drugs are commonly used in trains and buses to rob passengers, and in youth parties to exploit young females for drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Because of the effects of these drugs, victims may be physically helpless, unable to refuse sex, and can't remember what happened. The drugs often have no colour, smell or taste and are easily added to flavoured drinks without the victim's knowledge.

These drugs can include things like alcohol, marijuana or other street drugs, designer or club drugs like ecstasy, over-the-counter sleeping pills and anti-histamines, even cold medications.

However, the term "date rape drug” applies to any of the three drugs.
GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid) can be made at home, used for narcolepsy in the US

Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) is legal in Europe & Mexico. Used for sleep problems and during anaesthesia.

Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride) used in the Veterinary practice.

Many factors make these drugs desirable to sexual predators. All traces of the drugs leave the body within 72 hours of ingestion and are not found in any routine toxicology screen or blood test.

Date rape drugs are easily slipped into drinks and food and are very fast acting. They render the victim unconscious but responsive with little or no memory of what happens while the drug is active in their system. The drugs also make the victim act without inhibition, often in a sexual or physically affectionate way.

Date rape drugs render a person incapable of thinking clearly or of making appropriate decision. This makes for a very passive victim; one who is still able to play a role in what is happening but who will have no clear memory of what happened after-the-fact.

Without any memory of events the victim is often unaware that they have even been raped, and if they are aware or have suspicions they make very poor witnesses.

GHB is a liquid with no odour or colour, white powder, and pill. Rohypnol is a pill and dissolves in liquids. New pills turn blue when added to liquids. However, the old pills, with no colour, are still available. And Ketamine is a white powder. The drugs act quickly. The length of time varies. It depends on the dose and whether or not it is mixed with alcohol.

GHB intake can present with relaxation, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, problems in vision, unconsciousness (black out), seizures, can't remember what happened while drugged, breathing problems, tremors, sweating, vomiting, slow heart rate, dream-like feeling, coma and death.

Rohypnol can cause: memory loss of what happened while drugged, lower blood pressure, sleepiness, muscle relaxation or loss of muscle control, drunk feeling, nausea, problems in talking, difficulty with motor movements, loss of consciousness, confusion, problems seeing, dizziness, confusion and stomach problems.

Ketamine can cause: hallucinations, lost sense of time and identity, distorted perceptions of sight and sound, feeling out of control, impaired motor function, problems breathing, convulsions, vomiting, out of body experiences, memory problems, dream-like feeling, numbness, loss of coordination, aggressive or violent behaviour and slurred speech.

As the drugs are easily available, the onus lies on us to protect ourselves. Here are a few tips:

1. Don't accept any drinks from other people, except trusted friends
2. Open containers yourself
3. Keep your drink with you at all times, even when you go to the bathroom
4. Don't share drinks
5. Don't drink from punch bowls or other large, common, open containers. They may already have drugs in them
6. Don't drink anything that tastes or smells strange. Sometimes, GHB tastes salty.
7. Have a non-drinking friend with you to make sure nothing happens (if you are consuming alcohol).
8. If you think that you have been drugged and raped: Go to the police station or hospital right away. Get a urine (pee) test as soon as possible. The drugs leave your system quickly. Rohypnol leaves your body 72 hours after you take it. GHB leaves the body in 12 hours. Don't urinate before getting help. Don't douche, bathe, or change clothes before getting help. These things may give evidence of the rape.

About the drugs
Rohypnol: Street names: love drug, Roofies, ruffies, roche, R-2, rib, rope, date rape drug of choice, Rophy, Ruffles, Ruff Up, Roach 2, R2, R2-Do-U, Rope, Ropies, Circles, Circes, Forget It, Forget-Me-pill, Mexican Valium.

· Generic name is flunitrazepam (a benzodiazepine), a very potent tranquilizer similar in nature to calmpose, but many times stronger. A prescription sedative/depressant is produced worldwide by Hoffman-La Roche.

· The drug comes in pill form in 0.5, 1 and 2 milligram dosages. It is tasteless, colourless and odourless and can be crushed and added to any drink, including water, without detection.

· The pills are small and white with a split-pill line on one side and the word "ROCHE" with the number 1 or 2 in a circle stamped on the other. They are quickly dissolved in liquid especially when crushed first.

· The drug produces a sedative effect, amnesia, muscle relaxation, and a slowing of psychomotor responses. It is quick acting, with noticeable effects occurring within 20 minutes of ingestion. Mixed without alcohol the effects last 8 - 12 hours, with alcohol the effects last longer, up to 36 hours. After ingestion it can be found in the blood stream for 24 hours and in urine samples for 48 hours.

· The drug is often distributed on the street in its original "bubble packaging" which adds an air of legitimacy and makes it appear to be legal.

· Used extensively by both high school and college students.

· Cost; $2.00-$4.00 per tablet

· Roofies are often combined with alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine to produce a rapid and high.

· The drug has been added to punch and other drinks at fraternity parties and college social gatherings, where it is reportedly given to female party participants in hopes of lowered inhibitions and facilitating potential sexual conquest.

· When mixed with alcohol or other drugs may lead to respiratory depression, aspiration, and even death. When taken repeatedly, it can lead to physical and psychic dependence, which is thought to increase with both dose and duration of use.

· An amnesia producing effect of Roofies may prevent users from remembering how or why they took the drug or even that they were given it by others.

· This makes investigation of sexually related or other offences very difficult and may account for repeated reports of "date rapes" involving the use of the drug.

· In the late 1990's as an answer to Rohypnol's popular use as a date rape drug, the manufacturer voluntarily changed the formula to change colour when it comes in contact with liquid, but it is still easy to find in it's original generic formulation. Repeated use of the drug can lead to dependency.

Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB): street names: Easy Lay, EZ Lay, Liquid Ecstasy, Ellie, Clear X, Liquid X, X-rater, XTC, Chemical X, Liquid Dream, Scoop; Scoop Her, Get-Her-to-Bed.

· It is an odorless, colorless; liquid that acts on the central nervous system as a depressant/anesthesia.

· It is not produced or manufactured by any pharmaceutical company; instead it is made in illegal drug labs or by amateur chemists in their homes. It can be easily made with common and readily available ingredients and novice chemistry skills and the recipe is easy to find. Making, possessing and/or using this drug is illegal.

· GHB begins to take effect 10 - 15 minutes after ingestion. The effects last for 3 - 6 hours when taken without alcohol and 36 - 72 hours when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. In very high dosages unconsciousness, or even coma, can occur within 5 minutes.

· It looks exactly like water.

Ketamine Hydrochloride: street names: Special K, Super K, K, OK, KO, Vitamin K, Kid Rock, Ket Kat, Make-Her-Mine.

· A legal drug sold as a veterinary sedative or hospital grade anesthesia and goes by the brand names Ketaset® or Ketalar®).

· It is in the same family of drugs as PCP (phencyclidine).

· When used in humans the drug acts as a dissociative anesthesia

· It renders the user vaguely aware of, but comfortably detached from, all bodily sensations.

· When taken orally or nasally the effects take 10 - 20 minutes to be realized. When taken intravenously the effects are instantaneous. The effects last less than three hours and the drug is detectable in the system up to 48 hours depending on the method of ingestion.

· Since it is often mixed with other mind-altering drugs, like heroin and cocaine, many people do not ever realize they have been given this substance.

· In undiluted form it looks like an off-white powder, in diluted form it looks like slightly cloudy water.

(Dr. Aggarwal is Sr. Consultant, Mool Chand Hospital, Executive Vice Chairman, Heart Care Foundation of India & President-Elect, Delhi Medical Association.)