What are date rape drugs?

Screening for date rape drugs may be done up to 120 hours after the incident, but it is optimally done within 24 hours. Since many of these drugs clear the system quickly, a negative test result does not necessarily mean that a drug was not involved. GHB, rohypnol (Roofie) and ketamine have become known as “date rape drugs” because they are used to incapacitate someone for the purposes of committing a crime, often sexual assault. These drugs are odorless and colorless and can easily be slipped into someone’s drink. They can cause dizziness, disorientation, loss of inhibition and a loss of consciousness. They can also produce a loss of memory and cause a victim to be unclear of what happened. These drugs are particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol, although alcohol alone is still the drug most commonly associated with sexual assault. When people hear the phrase “date rape drug,” alcohol isn’t usually what comes to mind, but statistics show a link between alcohol and sexual assaults. If you think you were drugged or consumed a sedative-like substance, ask the medical provider to take a urine sample. If you still have remnants of the drink, save them for analysis.