High demand for ‘date rape drug’ in Nairobi raise eyebrows

The high demand for Rohypnol, better known as roofies, roach, forget-me pill, date rape drug, R-2, rope, circles, wolfies, and digda, in Nairobi has raised eyebrows.

Also known as ‘Digda’, Rohypnol is a prescription-only medicine used for short-term treatment of insomnia (difficulty in falling asleep, waking during the night and premature waking in the morning), said  Fred Siyoi, the CEO of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).

‘Digda’ has “the most undesirable effects on the nervous system (like) sleepiness, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, reduced alertness and confusion,” Siyoi said, adding, the drug may also lead to ataxia (lack of coordination), apnea (reduced respiratory function or temporary cessation of breathing), hypotension or coma.

In Kenya, Rohypnol is a prescription-only drug used for treating insomnia or as a pre-anaesthetic.

It’s sold in some countries as a sleeping pill, but is illegal in the United States because it can cause extreme drowsiness and is often used as a date-rape drug.

When combined with alcohol, Rohypnol can cause unconsciousness and memory loss. A Rohypnol blackout can last as long as 24 hours.

Victims of Rohypnol-facilitated sexual assault may wake up without remembering anything that happened after they started drinking, including how they arrived where they are or what happened to them while they were unconscious.

In some cases, victims may also forget where they were or what they did for several hours before they were drugged.

Many young people are exposed to severe drug abuse, said Vincent Mwasia, a former vice-chairperson of the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

“There’s a lack of knowledge that further contributes to the increasing rate of drug abuse.

We live in a society where people are afraid to talk about what happens among young people and drugs,” Mwasia said.

“I wish people knew about the risks involved when they abuse drugs,” he says.

“We need to educate our people about alcohol and drugs. It’s a pandemic and we need to even educate teachers and parents about drug abuse at large,” Mwasia says, adding, drug abuse is a societal problem, not a governance one.

He argued that laws alone cannot end drug abuse. “Even if [we have the laws], what we need is for people to care enough to protect the law and not just obey it.

Protecting what’s already being implemented is how we can make a difference,” Mwasia said.

He argued that laws alone cannot end drug abuse. “Even if (we have the laws), what we need is for people to care enough to protect the law and not just obey it. Protecting what’s already being implemented is how we can make a difference,” Mwasia said.

Rohypnol is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine with general properties similar to those of Valium (diazepam).

It is used in the short-term treatment of insomnia, as a pre-medication in surgical procedures and for inducing anesthesia.

Rohypnol causes partial amnesia; individuals are unable to remember certain events that they experience while under the influence of the drug.

However, this effect is particularly dangerous when Rohypnol is used illicitly to aid in sexual assault. Victims may not be able to clearly recall the assault, the assailant, or the events surrounding the assault.