Katie Foreman / Feature Editor 

“Spiking a drink” and  “getting roofied” are common terms that describe the act of someone being illegally and unknowingly drugged, often with Rohypnol; however, the slang term is used indiscriminately for other date-rape drugs, too. Being roofied is prevalent in the U.S.; three college campuses reported that around 1 in 13 college students were drugged, or suspected they were drugged  according to Live Science, in 2016. 

Speaking from personal experience, USD senior Emma Sewell shared her story of being roofied. 

“The bits [of the night] that come back, I couldn’t move my body, I couldn’t make words, Sewell said. “But my thoughts were so clear, so I knew something was wrong… I look back at texts — I was trying to text people when I was at the hospital at two in the morning — and I was fully there, but the texts weren’t even words. It was just letters. It was crazy. It was really horrible.”

Sewell explained what side effects she experienced.

“I just started feeling really, really drunk. And then my vision kind of started going out. And I was gone… I do think for a lot of people it’s just an exacerbated drunkenness. But you didn’t drink that much to get there,” Sewell said.

Sewell noted that she only had one open drink, and it was in her hand all night, so she found it difficult for her to give tips on how to protect oneself from being roofied, because it could happen in a split second. Sewell did not find the resources she pursued after the incident to be helpful for her, personally. 

“It’s really tough, because I feel like every resource I had failed me in that situation — police, hospital, ambulance, USD’s Public Safety — so it’s hard to recommend. I know that when I reached out to  Public Safety, they had the mental health services; the school therapist reached out to me, and I denied [getting therapy]. But they did reach out and offered help. So I know that that’s an option for people.”

Sewell explained that when she went to the hospital, they told her that her labs came back clean. 

“When I questioned this, [at the hospital] they said that they don’t test for roofie drugs GHB, Rohypnol, etc unless there is a court order,” Sewell said. “Which is a whole other issue with the system because the drugs can exit your system before you can press charges, get a court order, etc.”

She shared that the hospital gave her an IV and sent her home with a packet on overdosing and the danger of drugs. 

“They [the hospital workers] did call the police and they kept accusing me of drinking too much, which my labs did not show excessive alcohol in my system, and they basically just left and didn’t do anything.”

As for USD’s Public Safety, Sewell’s experience started out positive. 

“Public Safety was super nice at first, the [public safety officer] I talked to was super understanding and supportive,” Sewell said. “He even said that he knows the guy who was with me would [likely]argue that I drank too much and the [Public Safety] guy said he was prepared to respond to that.”

Sewell also explained how she perceived USD Public Safety switched their attitude toward her story after they spoke with the person who roofied her. 

“He [the officer] met with the guy and had me come back in. This time was totally different, he started questioning my sexual relationship with the guy and going back to how much I drank. [Public Safety] basically said that since the guy said I drank too much, there was no evidence.”

Sewell noted that Public Safety did try to connect her with a school therapist, but other than that,she felt unheard. “It really sucked because he acted like he was going to help and then after he talked to the guy, he just threw out my whole side of the story,” Sewell said. 

Sewell said the two pieces of advice she wants people to take away from her story are to travel in groups and always tell a trusted friend if someone thinks they have been roofied. 

Students aren’t alone facing the  threat. Professor of Philosophy Tyler Hower has been open to his classes about 12 years ago at a local bar. He also shared his story with The USD Vista that he tells to his classes about his experience.

“My partner and I were out with some friends at a bar in our neighborhood. We had a couple of drinks and after we’d been there for an hour, an hour and a half, we started to feel kind of strange… and the last thing I remember from that night is leaving the bar. It’s the last thing any of us remember,” Hower said.

Hower explained how he woke up the next morning with no recollection of how he got home or what  happened  after he got home. When Hower spoke to one of his friends  who went out with him, the  friend also  recalled that he had felt   very  odd  the night before, but didn’t want to say anything.

“It was terrifying. Even though nothing happened to us, we weren’t robbed. We don’t know why anyone would have done it,” Hower said. “But it was clear, because that entire period is just gone, that something had happened.”

Hower tells this story to students usually before breaks at school, when students are going out. He offered  advice for others to be  aware   of their surroundings. 

“If you’re out, never leave your drink unattended. Don’t be out alone.  So keep an eye on your drink  and on your friends’ drinks… just be aware of what’s going on around you. And if you start to feel off in some way, tell a friend at that point.  Don’t hide it. Don’t go off by yourself,” Hower said.

USD’s Department of Public Safety and Student Health Center each shared information about Rohypnol’s  effects and the warning signs of being roofied, as well as what  students can do to seek help,  if  they or a friend are roofied. 

Director of USD’s Student Health Center, Kimberly Woodruff,  explained   what  a  roofie  is, and how it can be misused. 

“The term ‘roofied’ stems from the common nickname for Rohypnol, [or] ‘roofies,’” Woodruff said. “Rohypnol is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine,    or central nervous system (CNS) depressant… this drug is not approved for medical use in the United States.”

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration in 2022, the medical use of Rohypnol in other countries usually is for treating insomnia, because the drug is sedative. The drug is tasteless and colorless when dissolved in drinks  according to the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services.

When discussing how this drug functions, Woodruff communicated    that   it  is  often used   by  predators to commit sexual assault, due to its sedative nature. 

Medical News Today wrote that law enforcement reports are claiming the amount of drug-facilitated sexual assaults are increasing.

Woodruff explained that Rohypnol works by activating a neurotransmitter that is an inhibitory chemical, which reduces nerve activity in the central nervous system. This means that people who are drugged with Rohypnol may experience side effects such as reduced anxiety, muscle relaxation, sedation, reduced alertness, memory loss and even loss of consciousness. These side effects can last up to 12 hours. 

“The sedative side effects of Rohypnol are what make it a common date-rape drug,” Woodruff said. 

Woodruff identified more of the common symptoms of being roofied: 

“A sudden feeling of fogginess, excessive drunkenness (a major red flag if you haven’t had much to drink), unusual interactions with strangers, gaps in memory, sedation, difficulties concentrating or staying  focused, reduced alertness and energy, disorientation, difficulties moving or feeling paralyzed, loss of muscle control and nausea,” Woodruff listed.

Woodruff  also mentioned that there are certain ways a person can tell if their drink has been  drugged with Rohypnol. One of these ways is by checking to see if your light-colored drink has turned blue, because Rohypnol turns beverages blue, once it is dissolved. However, this is not a guarantee of safety, as Woodruff  stated that there are other drugs including ketamine, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and  barbiturates that are sedating and also used to commit sexual assault, but they are colorless when dissolved in drinks. 

If students believe they’ve been roofied and/or assaulted, Woodruff said to call 9-1-1 immediately for medical attention. She also noted that if you suspect you’ve been drugged, do not get behind the wheel. 

“Have someone you trust take you to the emergency room. The authorities will collect any evidence. Avoid changing, bathing, urinating, washing your hands or douching before going to the emergency room,” Woodruff advised.

USD Department of Public Safety (DPS) Chief James Miyashiro asserted that Public Safety can be a resource for students as well. 

“Public Safety will assist in many ways: first, emergency response — if the student is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical attention, our first priority is to ensure their safety. Second, reporting the incident – DPS can assist in helping the victim report the incident to law enforcement or internally to the university.” 

Miyashiro added that DPS will work with victims of being roofied to hear their stories and aid in an investigation. He also mentioned  that there are support services on campus, including the Student Health Center, that DPS can set students up with. 

As for some of the other resources on campus, Woodruff stated that Campus Assault Resources and Education (CARE) Advocates at USD can be a source of support for students who have been drugged and/or assaulted.  

“Any student who has experienced anything like being ‘roofied,’ or any situations around sexual or relationship violence, is welcome to call 619-260-4655 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) to get support,” Woodruff said. “By contacting [this number above], you can get access to a  Confidential Resource directly. CARE Advocates can also connect students to other appropriate resources such as law enforcement,  Student Health Center, Counseling Center and other Wellness support.”

When you go out, stay close to friends and watch your drink. If a student has been roofied, there are resources they can use at USD and outside of USD for help. 

For those who have faced sexual   assault from being roofied, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-4673. Other resources like Public Safety and the Student Health Center are also available for getting help. Above all else: getting roofied is never the victims fault and students don’t need to be afraid to speak up.