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Predatory Drugs

Substances like drugs and alcohol play a role in many sexual assaults. These resources aim to keep you safe and make you more aware of your surroundings.

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Commonly Used Drugs

Understand symptoms of and facts about several common substances.

While you are protecting your drink against tampering, be aware that your drink itself may be cause for concern. Alcohol is still the rapist's drug of choice. Sexual contact with someone who is impaired by alcohol and/or drugs – and is therefore unable to consent – is rape.

Symptoms

  • Out-of-body experiences: uninhibited, embarrassing and/or aggressive behavior
    • When added to alcohol, it doubles the effects of both drugs. 
  • Repressed respiratory system: loss of consciousness, seizures, low respiration and heart rate, periods of amnesia
  • Bleeding: frothing blood (pulmonary edema), nosebleeds with high doses
  • Other symptoms: vomiting (classic symptom) and no gag reflex

 

Facts

  • Detectable in blood for 4 hours, urine for 12 hours; also in vomit
  • Rapidly absorbed: 20-60 minutes to absorb, 5-7 minutes to take effect
  • No antidote: through system in 4 hours
  • Characteristics: nondescript odor, slightly salty taste, liquid (occasionally powder)
  • Dosing and manufacture: 1-2 oz. is controlling dose, manufactured with store ingredients

  • Central nervous system depressant: victim is in a walking alcoholic blackout; no vomiting, but wooziness and grogginess
  • Effect time: 15-20 minutes to take full effect, effects last 8-12 hours, detectable in blood for 4 hours and urine for 96 hours
    • Does not show up in standard toxicology test: must specifically test for roofies
  • Description: odorless, tasteless and colorless
  • Addictive properties: users build tolerance and addiction very quickly

  • Effects: heightens senses, increases energy, expands and stimulates mind
  • Physical symptoms: muscle rigidity/spasms, increased body temperature, grinding of teeth
  • Other uses: often mixed with LSD or ketamine

  • Effects: hallucinations, feeling of separation from body, amnesia, dreamlike memories
  • Appearance: can be liquid, but most commonly inhaled as dried and ground substance
  • Other uses: legal in the United States as a veterinary anaesthetic