Date Rape Drug FAQs

What are Date Rape Drugs?

These are drugs that are sometimes used to assist a sexual assault. Sexual assault is any type of sexual activity that a person does not agree to. It can include inappropriate touching, vaginal penetration, sexual intercourse, rape, and attempted rape. 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 flavored drinks without the victim's knowledge. There are at least three date rape drugs:

GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid)
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam)
Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride)

These drugs have been used to help people commit other crimes, like robbery and physical assault, and have been used on both men and women.

What do the drugs look like?

GHB has a few forms: a liquid with no odor 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 .
Ketamine is a white powder.

What effects do these drugs have on the body?

The drugs can affect you quickly. The length of time that the effects last varies. It depends on how much of the drug is taken and if the drug is mixed with other substances, like alcohol. Alcohol can worsen the drug's effects and can cause more health problems.

What does Rohypnol do?

Rohypnol can cause these problems:

can't remember what happened while drugged
lower blood pressure
sleepiness
muscle relaxation or loss of muscle control
drunk feeling
nausea
problems talking
difficulty with motor movements
loss of consciousness
confusion
problems seeing
dizziness
confusion
stomach problems

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What does GHB do?

GHB can cause these problems:
relaxation
drowsiness
dizziness
nausea
problems seeing
unconsciousness (black out)
seizures
can't remember what happened while drugged
problems breathing
tremors
sweating
vomiting
slow heart rate
dream-like feeling
coma
death

Ketamine

Ketamine can cause these problems:

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 behavior
slurred speech

Is alcohol a date rape drug?

While GHB, rohypnol, and ketamine are considered "date rape drugs," there are other drugs that affect judgment and behavior, and can put a person at risk for unwanted or risky sexual activity. Alcohol is one of those drugs. When a person is drinking alcohol:

It's harder to think clearly and evaluate a potentially dangerous situation.
It's harder to resist sexual or physical assault.
Drinking too much alcohol can also cause black-outs and memory loss.

How can I protect myself from being a victim?

Don't accept drinks from other people.
Open containers yourself.
Keep your drink with you at all times, even when you go to the bathroom.
Don't share drinks.
Don't drink from punch bowls or other large, common, open containers. They may already have drugs in them.