Known by a variety of street names such as roofies, roach, R-2, trip and fall, and rope or "the date-rape drug," rohypnol is the trade name for the benzodiazepine FLUNITRAZEPAM, a sedative-hypnotic drug used medically in a number of countries. Rohypnol has recently become a widely abused drug in Sweden, Mexico, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa, a trend made more troubling by the fact that many users regard it as relatively safe. Rohypnol, in fact, has many dangerous and undesirable effects for the illicit user. It has been associated with an increased risk of violence and accidents as well as stupor, coma, memory loss, and death. Its ability to induce unconsciousness and amnesia has led to its use in sexual assaults in the United States (hence, its reputation as a date-rape drug) as well as robberies.

Although never approved for use in the...