FREE ESSAY ON DATE RAPE DRUGS

DATE RAPE DRUGS

Health Promotion : Date Rape Drugs
The issue of substances used to facilitate date rape is one that deserves a great deal of
attention. Over the years, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of drug misuse
leading to sexual assault. It is necessary for everyone to be aware of the general threat
of substance misuse and what to do if they think that they have been drugged. It is also
important that people know how to keep a look out for drinks that have been tampered with
so that they can take the appropriate measures to make sure that these drinks are not
consumed. For these reasons, I believe that a health promotion program needs to be
planned and implemented to address these issues and combat the problem of date rape. I
have planned a program which follows the Comprehensive Health Education Model and which
is grounded in the Social Cognitive Theory. It is based on extensive research that I have
summarized below on the topic of date rape drugs and their effects.
Sedating substances are used to enhance the effects of alcohol and/or other drugs and to
diminish inhibitions. Although there are many sedating substances linked with date rape,
my research will focus on the two main drugs associated with this topic, GHB and
Rohypnol. 
In recent years, GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyrate) has become a popular recreational drug found
mostly at raves and night clubs. For this reason, young people go to these places are the
most vulnerable group and are most likely to benefit from a program of this type. GHB is
a central nervous system depressant available in both liquid and powder forms which is
used as an anaesthetic in some countries. However, it is illegal in Canada and smuggled
into the country where it is sold for approximately ten dollars per dose. The drug may
also be known as Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Georgia Home Boy,  Easy Lay, Soap and Grevious
Bodily Harm. It is often used in combination with other drugs such as ecstasy. GHB
induces a state of relaxation which can be felt within five to twenty minutes after it is
ingested. This state feels similar to being drunk, but at the same time, clear headed
with no subsequent hangover. The high lasts about one and a half to three hours. GHB is
odourless and tasteless. Due to this fact, it is very difficult to detect when slipped
into a drink. It is very important for people to be aware of how to reduce their risk of
being drugged with GHB so that they can maximize their chances of avoiding date rape.
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) is a sedative which is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety
and insomnia. Like GHB, it is illegal in Canada but smuggled into the country where it is
distributed in the form of tablets and sold for about four to five dollars per tablet.
Each tablet is white in colour and individually bubble-wrapped with the name Roche and
the number one or two engraved on its surface indicating its dosage in milligrams. It is
used to decrease inhibition and is usually mixed into fruit drinks or alcoholic
beverages. It is also similar to GHB in the fact that it has no odour or taste.
Frequently, it is sold at raves and night clubs. Rohypnol's effects begin within three
minutes after ingestion, peak within two hours and persist for up to eight hours. It
induces a reduction in anxiety and muscular relaxation. When served to women, Rohypnol
produces sedation and reduces the will to resist sexual advances. About ten minutes after
ingestion, the woman may feel dizzy and disoriented, simultaneously too hot and too cold,
and nauseated. She may experience difficulty moving and speaking, and she will eventually
pass out. After waking up, she will have no recollection of what happened to her while
under the drug's influence. Rohypnol is the most common date rape drug. 
As I have demonstrated above, GHB and Rohypnol are very dangerous date rape drugs and
everyone should be aware of their effects. The individuals who I believe are at the
highest risk of being subjected to this problem, and who I wish to target are highschool
and undergraduate university/college students, women in particular. My planning committee
will include a faculty member from the institutions that I wish to present at and perhaps
a member of the board of education or ministry of health. Since these are the prospective
stakeholders, it is important to get members that represent them. I also wish to have
students who have been affected by date rape drugs themselves to be presenting the
program. Sharing their own experiences as well as providing information on how to stay
away from these drugs seems to be an effective method to increase the awareness of the
target population. I will also try to include parents of those who have been affected on
my planning committee, as they would be likely to offer maximal support and be dedication
to the program. The support and commitment of the people whose lives have been affected
by the topic at hand will be what makes the program successful and realistic. 
The next step in developing this program is to set appropriate goals. My goal is to
ensure that the target population understands the seriousness of this problem and how it
relates to their individual lives. I would also like to equip them with education,
strategies and skills so that they know how to avoid being drugged, how to recognize the
symptoms of being drugged, and how to deal with being drugged. If my program is
successful, these individuals will actually put the skills which they have been taught
into practice when they are at social settings which require them to take these actions.

Next, the problems must be defined. The most important aspect of the program is to tackle
health education resources. The more educated the target population, the more chance
there is of minimizing the problem. We need to make the participants aware of what to
expect and empower each one with the knowledge to take responsibility over their own
health. The approach I wish to take is to have the student representatives of the program
team speak at various schools, universities and colleges across the province, and if
successful, then across the country. The speakers will talk to the students about wise
practices, and how to recognize symptoms of being drugged, as well as share their own
personal experiences with the drugs to provide a more realistic picture of what actually
happens when they are consumed. I have outlined a few strategies that will help reduce
the risk of date rape in social situations. The student representatives will discuss each
one with the group and a pamphlet summarizing them would be distributed to the group
following the presentation. The recommendations of strategies are as follows:
1. Alcohol consumption should be limited so that one is aware of their surroundings,
especially if one is in a group setting or with someone whom they do not know well or
trust. Do not take any tablets from anyone. Know what rohypnol tablets look like.
2. Do not mix drinks. This may increase sedating effects if drugged.
3. Eat a good amount of food before consuming alcohol. A full stomach may help curb
sedating effects.
4. When drinking alcohol in social settings, make arrangements with a friend to leave
with them. Make sure that you stay close to your friends so that you can get help if
necessary.
5. NEVER leave your drink unattended.
6. Do not take a drink from someone you do not know or trust. Infact, one should only
accept drinks from a bartender or server. Remember that drugged beverages are not always
alcoholic.
7. Know how to recognize symptoms. If you experience dizziness, extreme drowsiness, or
other sudden and unexplained symptoms, call someone that you can trust and go to a
hospital emergency room immediately. Try to retain a sample of the beverage for testing.
8. Learn the street and rave names of GHB and Rohypnol so you know when people are
referring to them using these names.
It is essential that these strategies be brought to the attention of the target
population. At this point, before proceeding to the next step, I will conduct a pre-test.
Perhaps we could present to a group of 10-12 students who may include friends or siblings
of members of the planning committee and get their suggestions and feedback so that we
can improve our program. When this is completed and we feel that the program is strong,
we must make sure we have the appropriate resources to make the program available. For
this, I would need to contact the stakeholders. These are members of Boards of education,
the Ministry of Health and the heads of universities and colleges. I will then present my
program rationale. Due to lack of space, I will not be able to discuss my rationale in
this paper. If my rationale is accepted, and the stakeholders provide me with the funding
for this program, I can proceed with the plan of action. I will ask the stakeholders to
arrange a time and place for the program to take place. At this point in time I would
create an evaluation form which I will ask each student to fill out after each program to
determine its effectiveness. I will then divide and assign certain tasks and duties to my
crew members and once the program is organized, it will finally be ready for
implementation. 
After the program has been implemented and the evaluation forms have been completed, I
would analyze the data received. This information will help me to determine to what
extent the objectives of the program were achieved, the activities carried out, and the
resources used as planned. From this analysis, I will be able to identify the strengths
and weaknesses of the program, the perceived importance of the program and whether it is
worthwhile to expand it to a national level. If I do not find that it is sufficient, it
will be revised and carried out once again.
Bibliography
References
Drug-Free Resource Net. (1998). GHB. http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/ghb.html
Drug-Free Resource Net. (1998). Rohypnol. http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/roofies.html
Emergency Response & Research Institute. (1996). 'Roofies', The New Date Rape Drug of
Choice. http://www.emergency.com/roofies.htm
Ledray, E., Linda. (1996). Date rape drug alert. The Journal of Emergency Nursing, Volume
22 (1), 80.
McKenzie, F., James., Smeltzer, L., Jan. (1997). Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating
Health Promotion Programs. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (1995). Fact Sheet on Rohypnol.
http://www.health.org/pubs/factsht/rohypnol.htm
Schwartz, H., Richard., Weaver, B., Andrea. (1998). Rohypnol, The Date Rape Drug.
Clinical Pediatrics, Volume 37 (5), 321.
The Metro Toronto Research Group On Drug Use. (1996). Facts on Rohypnol.
http://sano.arf.org/geninfo/rohypnol.htm 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Public Health Service. (1997). Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report. http://www.emergency.com/ghb-2.htm
U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. (1998). Flunitrazepam -
Rohypnol. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/rohypnol/rohypnol.htm