What everyone should know about roofies, aka 'date rape' drugs, according to experts

“Roofies" are commonly known as “date rape” drugs, but they typically refer to a medication called Rohypnol, also known as flunitrazepam (another type of roofie is gamma-hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB). “Flunitrazepam is a sedative-hypnotic drug in the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines,” Dr. Brenna Farmer, chief of the department of emergency medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, tells Yahoo Life.

Commonly prescribed benzodiazepines in the U.S. are Valium (diazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam), which are used for muscle relaxation and to control anxiety and seizures. While Rohypnol falls into this same category, it’s not approved for medical use in the U.S. In fact, Rohypnol — which is 10 times stronger than Valium — is illegal in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice, but is legal in other countries, where it’s used to treat insomnia. The drug is smuggled into the U.S. via other countries, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Roofies are tasteless, odorless and were at one point used to dissolve clear in liquid, making it hard to detect if someone had secretly put a roofie in your drink. However, in the late 1990s, because of “concerns about the drug's role in sexual assaults,” according to the Department of Justice, the drug manufacturer changed the white pill to an olive-green shade with a blue core that turns light-colored drinks blue. As the agency points out, generic versions of Rohypnol may not have the telltale blue dye, and the dye can be hidden in dark-colored liquids.

What are the signs that you’ve been given a roofie?

Experts say it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of being roofied, in case it happens to you or to someone you know. “When you consume a roofie, the symptoms someone will notice are similar to alcohol intoxication or extreme alcohol intoxication,” Farmer says. “You can see slurred speech and be unsteady when walking, and become lethargic or comatose.”

Farmer adds: “People will also compare it to feeling extremely intoxicated and then blacking out. The biggest safety concern is not being able to protect yourself due to those symptoms.”

Someone who has been roofied may appear much more intoxicated than would typically be expected — in a way that’s out of proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed. The effects of the drug also happens quickly — within 15 to 20 minutes of ingestion — and can last for more than 12 hours, according to the Department of Justice.

What happens to your body when you take roofies?

As with other benzodiazepines, roofies are central nervous system depressants, which can lead to a variety of side effects. “They commonly cause decreased anxiety, slurred speech, loss of coordination and balance, amnesia, fatigue and reduced heart rate,” Dr. Phillip Kadaj, internal medicine specialist at MyMichigan Health and medical expert for JustAnswer.com, tells Yahoo Life.

While the drug is considered a depressant, Dr. Sophia Yen, co-founder and chief executive officer of Pandia Health and a clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford Medical School, tells Yahoo Life that, in some cases, people who have been roofied may have the opposite reaction, becoming very excited or aggressive. However, she says, that is less likely to happen.

Why are roofies dangerous?

Roofies are known as “date rape” drugs because they leave people in a sedated and incapacitated state, which can make them more vulnerable to being sexual assault by another individual. Farmer says the danger lies in not being able to protect yourself.

But what makes the drug even more dangerous and concerning is the way it reacts with alcohol. “Their effect is augmented especially when ingested with other substances that are central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol,” Kadaj says.

According to the Department of Justice, when combined with alcohol, roofies can cause anterograde amnesia, which Yen says is arguably one of their most worrisome side effects.

“Anterograde amnesia means you forget things that happened while you were on the drug — and part of before that,” she explains. “Thus, if you were sexually assaulted or raped, you wouldn’t remember it.”

This is not only harmful for the victim, but it can also mean the perpetrator is more likely to get away without consequences. “People who have been roofied will wake up in the a.m. in a bed, with panties down or feeling like they had sex, but no memory of having sex,” Yen says.

How can you protect yourself from someone putting a roofie in your drink?

Experts recommend not leaving your drink unattended and staying alert when you're out at parties and bars. This means: Don't drink anything given to you by someone you don't know or that you didn't watch being made.

Additionally, you can ask for a plastic cover for your drink or bring your own to give yourself (and your drink) an extra layer of security.

Also, say experts, follow the buddy system. “The big thing I always recommend is not to go out alone,” says Farmer. “Go in a group, have a plan, and watch each other’s backs. Be aware of the possibility, and keep an eye on both yourself and those you’re with.”

What should you do if you’ve been roofied?

If you think you or a friend have been roofied, experts recommend visiting the nearest emergency room to be checked out. “The medical team will do an evaluation, including obtaining a history of events, medical history and physical examination,” Farmer says. “They will try to determine if the patient or those with them remember anything from the time period, can identify if the patient ate or drank anything, if there was any time lapse when no one was with the patient, and if someone could have been sexually assaulted, among many other questions.”

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