March 2005 Page 1 of 2

Rohypnol and GHB are predominantly

central nervous system depressants.

Because they are often colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added to

beverages and ingested unknowingly.

These substances emerged a few years

ago as “drug-assisted assault” 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

controlled substance to aid in sexual

assault.

Rohypnol ———–

Rohypnol, a trade name for flunitrazepam, belongs to a class of drugs

known as benzodiazepines. Rohypnol can

incapacitate victims and prevent 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 depressants.

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.

GHB ———–

Since about 1990, GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) has been abused in the U.S. for

its euphoric, sedative, and anabolic (body

building) effects. It is a central nervous

system depressant that was widely available over-the-counter in health food stores

during the 1980s and until 1992. It was

purchased largely by body builders to aid

in fat reduction and muscle building.

Street names include “liquid ecstasy,”

“soap,” “easy lay,” “vita-G,” and

“Georgia home boy.”

Coma and seizures can occur following

abuse of GHB. Combining use with other

drugs such as alcohol can result in nausea and breathing difficulties. GHB may

Rohypnol and GHB
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. 

Extent of Use ———–

According to the 2004 Monitoring the

Future** (MTF) survey, NIDA's annual

survey of drug use among the Nation's

high school students, 0.6 percent of 8thgraders, 0.7 percent of 10th-graders,

and 1.6 percent of 12th-graders reported

annual*** use of Rohypnol.

Annual use of GHB among 8th-graders

and 12th-graders remained relatively stable from 2003 to 2004, but 10th-graders

reported a significant decrease according

to MTF findings. In 2004, 0.7 percent of

8th-graders, 0.8 percent of 10th-graders,

and 2.0 percent of 12th-graders reported

annual use.

Hospital emergency department (ED)

episodes involving GHB rose from 56 in

1994 to 4,969 in 2000, then declined in

2002 to 3,330. Among ED mentions

involving club drugs, however, only

MDMA (ecstasy) is cited more frequently

than GHB.****

Other Information

Sources ———–

For additional information on Rohypnol

and GHB, please also see the NIDA

InfoFacts on Club Drugs and visit

www.clubdrugs.org.

March 2005 Page 2 of 2

* Also known as “date rape,” “drug rape,” or “acquaintance rape.”

** These data are from the 2004 Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National

Institutes of Health, DHHS, and conducted annually by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. The survey has tracked 12th-graders’ illicit drug use and related attitudes since 1975; in 1991, 8th- and 10th-graders were

added to the study. The latest data are online at www.drugabuse.gov.

*** “Lifetime” refers to use at least once during a respondent’s lifetime. “Annual” refers to use at least once during the

year preceding an individual’s response to the survey. “30-day” refers to use at least once during the 30 days preceding

an individual’s response to the survey.

**** Emergency department data are from the annual Drug Abuse Warning Network, funded by the Substance Abuse

and Mental Health Services Administration, DHHS. The survey provides information about emergency department visits

that are induced by or related to the use of an illicit drug or the nonmedical use of a legal drug. The latest annual data

are available at 1-800-729-6686 or online at www.samhsa.gov.

National Institutes of Health – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This material may be used or reproduced without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated.