Roofie Awareness
Over the last decade, there has been a growing cultural awareness and increased reporting of people being drugged without their knowledge or “roofied” with variants of rohypnol, ketamine, or GHB.
There are more than fifty other predatory drugs that can be used to disable someone for the purpose of committing a crime, such as robbery, homicide, or sexual assault. “Roofie” has become a blanket term for all of them. They act similar to muscle relaxants, and at first feel comparable to being drunk. As they pass through your system their effect increases. This can lead to confusion, breathing trouble, blurred vision and memory impairment.
Since these drugs only stay in the bloodstream for approximately four hours, testing for them can often yield little or no evidence. Of course, this makes it very difficult to prove, should you become a victim - and even harder to prosecute. To prevent exposing yourself unnecessarily to this predatory tactic that would enable someone to carry out harmful intentions, here are some safety tips to practice:
Be Aware of Strange Smells or Flavors
If the drink is hazy or doesn’t taste like it normally should, don’t drink it. Pour it out so that no one else does.
Cover Your Cup
Never set your drink down or lose sight of it for a moment. Hold the cup by covering it with your palm
Order Your Own Drinks
Don’t accept any beverages from strangers or people you don’t trust. You are safest to accept drinks directly from the bartender.
Avoid Community Containers
Say no to drinks made in a punch bowl or pitchers. Instead, go for a canned or bottled beverage that hasn’t been opened.
Don’t Share Drinks With Others
You don’t know if your friend has kept a watchful eye on their cup. Also, people can have very different reactions to the same drug. They could have ingested something harmful and not feel it’s effect yet.
Sip Your Drink Slowly
Taking time to consume your beverage gives you more time to become aware of any symptoms if your drink was altered.
For more information and tips, visit our website at lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook: Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office-Oregon.
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