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Rohypnol: The Date Rape Drug
Last Reviewed: 12/11/2007
Rohypnol is known worldwide as "the date rape drug". This is because the effects of the drug are such that a girl or woman may know that someone is abusing her sexually but be unable to take any action to prevent it, and will probably not remember any details the next day. There have been a number of cases in South Africa of drinks being 'spiked' in nightclubs. Men drop a Rohypnol tablet or powder into a woman's drink and then claim that she is drunk and they will take her home, only to rape her. For this reason, girls and women are strongly advised never to let a stranger or someone they don't entirely trust get them a drink, and never to leave their drinks unattended at a nightclub or party.
Increasingly, Rohypnol is also being abused as a drug of choice by both men and women. It enhances the effect of alcohol, making the user feel extremely light-headed and 'drunk' very quickly. Again, this particularly places girls and women in danger as their judgement and reactions are impaired. There have been reported cases of boys encouraging abuse of Rohypnol by young women specifically to sexually abuse them.
Rohypnol is a Schedule 6 prescription sleeping tablet. Dealers get the drug by means of forged prescriptions and then sell it on the street. It is popularly known as 'Rosshies'.
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