flunitrazepam
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flunitrazepam, benzodiazepine drug known for its sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic (antianxiety) properties and for its illicit use, most notably as a so-called date rape drug. Flunitrazepam is sold under various trade names, including Rohypnol. Because of its high potential for misuse and its dangerous side effects, it is a controlled substance in many countries, including Canada and the United States, where it is banned. It continues to be legally prescribed in some areas, primarily for the short-term treatment of severe insomnia, as a preoperative anesthetic agent, or for managing severe anxiety.
Historical developments
Flunitrazepam was developed in the 1960s by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, which had developed other benzodiazepine drugs, including diazepam (Valium) and nitrazepam. In the 1970s flunitrazepam was marketed in Switzerland for the treatment of insomnia and for use as a preoperative anesthetic to reduce or prevent pain associated with surgery. It subsequently was made available in other European countries as well as in Asia and Latin America.
Mechanism of action and side effects
Similar to other benzodiazepines, flunitrazepam works by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that inhibits the transmission of impulses between neurons. The ensuing reduction in neuronal excitability in the brain results in sedation, muscle relaxation, reduced anxiety, and induction of sleep. Flunitrazepam is more potent than other benzodiazepines and acts rapidly, with effects typically felt within 15 to 20 minutes; its effects can last several hours.
Common side effects of flunitrazepam include confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of coordination, and memory impairment. Overdose can result in severe respiratory depression, coma, or death. The effects of flunitrazepam are intensified by combined use with alcohol or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants. The drug is further associated with a high risk of dependence and with withdrawal symptoms, which typically manifest in the form of severe anxiety, insomnia, and seizures.
Recreational use
Nonmedical use of flunitrazepam emerged in the 1970s. One of the first reports of its recreational use was published in 1979 in Singapore, where it was used as a drug substitute by persons addicted to heroin and for the treatment of insomnia. About the same time, it was found also to be a popular recreational drug in Australia. In the 1980s its recreational use became widespread and was particularly common in Europe. It acquired various street names, including roche, roofies, ruffles, and forget-me-pill. It is sought out by individuals who want to leverage its potent sedative, hypnotic, and amnesic effects to induce a sense of relaxation, euphoria, and detachment. In some instances it is used alongside other CNS depressants to intensify sedative effects; in other cases individuals use it to ease the effects of coming off stimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
The powerful sedative effects and memory impairment induced by flunitrazepam are key factors in its use in criminal activities. The drug is odorless and tasteless when dissolved in liquids, and thus in the case of sexual assault, perpetrators can easily add the drug to a target victim’s drink without detection. In this way victims are readily incapacitated, leaving them not only unable to resist sexual assault but with no memory of the attack. The drug is commonly used in a similar fashion for drug-assisted robberies.
Control
Flunitrazepam is a controlled substance under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. In the United States, under the Controlled Substances Act, it is a Schedule IV drug, which means that it is not approved for medical use and that it is banned from manufacture and distribution. Because flunitrazepam is still available by prescription in parts of the world, however, it can be trafficked illegally into countries where it is banned, making it accessible on the black market.
