[ Golden Gater Online - October 23, 1997 ]
Michelle Silvestri
The New Hampshire (U. New Hampshire)
DURHAM, N.H. -- Authorities are concerned that there may be a demand for Rohypnol on campus.
A male UNH student was arrested with a large quantity of what was thought to be Rohypnol, also known as the "rape drug," Oct. 4. However, laboratory results came back Friday showing that the substance was actually caffeine.
The student was carrying 41 pills, which made Durham Police Chief David Kurz immediately suspicious that the student was looking to sell Rohypnol to others.
Kurz said the student told police he believed the pills were Rohypnol, also called "Roofies," "Ruffies," and "Roachies," among other names.
"It's clear to us from him that he thought it was Roofies," he said.
The student was being arrested for a separate incident when he threw the substance into the bushes before being tackled by police, according to Kurz.
Durham Police have not identified the student.
Rohypnol is the brand name of a sleeping pill that is commonly used by people who slip the drug into a victim's drink (usually alcohol) before a rape or sexual assault. The drug takes away the victim's normal inhibitions and blocks the memory of a rape or sexual assault.
A sedative similar to Valium, Rohypnol is 20 times more potent. The white pill is odorless, tasteless and colorless in a drink, and has no legal use in the United States.
Elizabethe Plante, director of UNH's Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program, said this incident is a warning sign for the campus and that people need to be concerned. She said she is alarmed that there may be a demand for Rohypnol on campus.
"Obviously there must be some kind of demand for it," Plante said. "He thought there would be buyers."
Kurz also said he is worried that people are thinking of buying Rohypnol with the intentions of sexually assaulting someone.
There has been no solid evidence that Rohypnol has been used on campus so far, but Plante said there have been several suspicious rape cases concerning the drug. She said there have also been reports that people have seen Rohypnol on campus.
It is unknown if any of the caffeine was sold to anyone as Rohypnol. Kurz said the caffeine would give an opposite effect of Rohypnol, so a person might not even know if they were slipped the caffeine. They would probably just experience more of a "buzz," Kurz said.
However, Kurz said the student body should be aware of the actual drug surfacing.
"I think it's important for the student body to know the potential is always there," he said.
He said he especially was concerned for freshmen females who are unfamiliar with campus life. He encourages people to stick together in groups and to guard their drinks.
Captain Michael Golding of the Durham Police Department echoed Kurz's concerns, especially when students are in a drinking situation.
"Students should be aware of their surroundings and make sure when they are out with some trusted friends not to take any drinks unless they are sure where they came from," Golding said.
Golding advised that when drinking beer, people should open the containers themselves. He said when drinking mixed drinks, people should be even more careful.
The company that markets Rohypnol, Roche Pharmaceuticals Inc., is looking into making the drug with a blue color and a distinctive taste, but the change hasn't yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to Plante.
[ Golden Gater - October 23, 1997 ]