Except, remember- the number #1 date rape drug is…. alcohol
The skinny on date rape drugs
Depending on the date rape drug, it can hit you within 15 minutes and in the worse case scenario lead to coma, even death. What’s just as scary is it renders you virtually unconscious, yet free to respond to advances with no inhibitions.
Once you suspect you have been a victim of date rape, it is critical that you get tested within 72 hours, as that is it is within that timeframe that the drug remains in your system.
Proving date rape is tough: a person with no memory doesn’t make the best witness.
So if you suspect you’ve fallen victim, get out to the hospital quickly:it is typically eight to 10 hours before you will be in a state of mind to realize you may have been raped, and from that point you have about another 60-65 hours before the drug leaves your system.
The most common date rape drugs are Rohypnol, Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB), and Ketamine. Below is a list of their effects:
Rohypnol
Rohypnol can be felt within 30 minutes of the time you were drugged and the effects can last for several hours.
Symptoms:
• Muscle relaxation or loss of muscle control
• Impaired coordination
• Drunk feeling
• Impaired speech
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Memory loss and or loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Problems seeing
• Dizziness
• Sleepiness
• Decreased blood pressure
• Death
Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB)
GHB takes effect in about 15 minutes and can last 3 or 4 hours. Most GHB is made by people in home or street “labs,” so, you won’t know what you’ve ingested.
Symptoms:
• Loss of consciousness
• Memory loss
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Impaired vision
• Seizures
• Impaired breathing
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Reduced heart rate
• Coma
• Death
Ketamine
You might be aware of what is happening to you, but unable to respond and you may later forget the event.
Symptoms:
• Impaired vision, speech, and hearing
• Compromised coordination
• Out of body experiences
• Feeling out of control
• Elevated blood pressure
• Convulsions
• Vomiting
• Memory loss
• Impaired breathing
• Aggression
• Depression
For more information:
teenadvice.about.com/cs/daterape/a/daterapedrugged_2.htm
http://teenadvice.about.com/od/factsheetsforteens/a/10thingsdrape.htm
www.4woman.gov/faq/date-rape-drugs.cfm
http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/clubdrugs.html