1. OTC and Prescription Drug Abuse Slideshow Pictures
2. Health Risks of Alcohol Abuse Slideshow Pictures

In this Article

• What are date rape drugs?
• What do the drugs look like?
• What effects do these drugs have on the body?
• Are these drugs legal in the United States?
• Is alcohol a date rape drug? What about other drugs?
• How can I protect myself from being a victim?
• Are there ways to tell if I might have been drugged and raped?
• What should I do if I think I've been drugged and raped?
• Patient Comments: Date Rape Drugs - Experience
• Find a local Doctor in your town
• Date Rape Drugs Index

Some of these drugs are legal when lawfully used for medical purposes. But that doesn't mean they are safe. These drugs are powerful and can hurt you. They should only be used under a doctor's care and order.

• Rohypnol is NOT legal in the United States. It is legal in Europe and Mexico, where it is prescribed for sleep problems and to assist anesthesia before surgery. It is brought into the United States illegally.



• Ketamine is legal in the United States for use as an anesthetic for humans and animals. It is mostly used on animals. Veterinary clinics are robbed for their ketamine supplies.



• GHB was recently made legal in the United States to treat problems from narcolepsy (a sleep disorder). Distribution of GHB for this purpose is tightly restricted.

Any drug that can affect judgment and behavior can put a person at risk for unwanted or risky sexual activity. Alcohol is one such drug. In fact, alcohol is the drug most commonly used to help commit sexual assault. When a person drinks too much alcohol:

• It's harder to think clearly.



• It's harder to set limits and make good choices.



• It's harder to tell when a situation could be dangerous.



• It's harder to say "no" to sexual advances.



• It's harder to fight back if a sexual assault occurs.



• It's possible to blackout and to have memory loss.

The club drug "ecstasy" (MDMA) has been used to commit sexual assault. It can be slipped into someone's drink without the person's knowledge. Also, a person who willingly takes ecstasy is at greater risk of sexual assault. Ecstasy can make a person feel "lovey-dovey" towards others. It also can lower a person's ability to give reasoned consent. Once under the drug's influence, a person is less able to sense danger or to resist a sexual assault.

Even if a victim of sexual assault drank alcohol or willingly took drugs, the victim is NOT at fault for being assaulted. You cannot "ask for it" or cause it to happen.