What is it?
Rohypnol® is the brand name of flunitrazepam, a medication with sedative effects that is produced and marketed outside North America for medical use. In Canada and the U.S., it is illegal to possess, traffic, import or produce Rohypnol. Rohypnol belongs to a family of medications called benzodiazepines (see more info on benzodiazepines) Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants, which decrease anxiety and cause drowsiness, and slow your heart rate, breathing and thinking. Rohypnol's main medical use is as a short-term treatment for insomnia. Rohypnol has been referred to in the media as a "date rape" drug. While there is little evidence of Rohypnol use in Canada, there have been reports of drugs being used to facilitate sexual assault. Such cases may have involved other drugs such as GHB, ketamine, alcohol and other benzodiazepines.