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Rohypnol is Created
in 1955, alchemist Leo Stern Bach of Switzerland created a series of drugs known as benzodiazepines. These drugs were intended to be tranquilizers to help people with insomnia. -
Rohypnol is introduced to the public
Bach worked for a company called Hoffman-La Roche. In 1975 the drug created 20 years before was released to the public. Soon people realized its effects and would begin to abuse it -
Doctors Voice Concerns
During the 1970s it was common for drugs to be smuggled, sold, and abused to get high. This continued into the 1980s and European doctors who were familiar with rohypnol began to research and be careful for addiction in patients. -
Rohypnol is banned in the USA
Rohypnol unfortunately was never brought to the US for its intended use. By now the drug was known mostly for its ability to incapacitate someone for hours or get someone high. Upon introduction, it was only a short while before the US banned rohypnol from being produced, sold, or possessed. -
Kurt Cobain attempts suicide with Rohypnol
It is known that musician Kurt Cobain suffered from drug addiction and depression. On March 3rd, 1994, Cobain overdosed with a combination of champagne and rohypnol which put him into a coma. see full article -
Current Rohypnol Use
Today rohypnol is most commonly known as its streetnames: roofies, forget-me-pill, roofinol, and others. Because of rohypnol's tranquilizing abilities, it is used as what is called a "date-rape drug". It dissolves colorless and odorless so sexual predators drop it into open beverages to knock out victims. Rohypnol incapacitates users for many hours, and has amnesiac effects after it wears off.
