Date Rape Drugs
The date rape drug rohypnol, otherwise known as “roofies” is a major issue today on college campuses everywhere. This drug is an illegal drug, which is an accomplice to many rapes occurring everywhere around the country. Assailants dissolve a few tablets of roofies in a drink and give it to an unaware victim. The victim drinks the contents and, within twenty to thirty minutes, begins to feel the effects of the drug. Among other effects, roofies is a sedative and muscle relaxant, and causes amnesia. (Acute Care) When used with alcohol or other drugs, the effects are even more rapid. Assailants often will rape or sexually assault the victim once they have become affected by the drug since the unconscious victims will not be able to put up a fight. Victims may also wake up in an unfamiliar or dangerous situation after the drug loses its effect. (undergrad)
The major problems with these drugs on college campuses are that many people are completely unaware of not only the effects of the drug, but also that the drug is frequently being used. The drugs can be easily sipped into the victims’ drink without them even knowing. In many instances, victims openly accept drinks from people that they might not even know. This is adding to the problem, because that makes it much easier for the assailant to drug the victim. This drug may not only cause instant problems, but could also cause major problems in the long run, such as addiction or psychological problems. (undergrad) The problem of date rape drugs among college campuses is rapidly
increasing, and it is very critical to many young people that a solution is found to this problem.
The simple way to solve this problem would be for everyone to be m...
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... simple means. In some situations it could be impossible to completely stop the use of these drugs. Some people would argue that the problem goes much further than lack of knowledge or alertness. The assailants find ways to use these drugs with many different types of people. If people simply are aware and informed about what’s going on around them, it should lower the problem. Assailants don’t expect college students to be aware of these elaborate drugs. When learning the information, and always being alert, the chances of protecting yourself are much greater.
The drug is a big problem at many colleges today, and is getting worse by time. There are more and more drugs circling in college atmospheres, where many students aren’t aware. If people learn what is happening around them, and watch out for each other, the problem should be able to be contained.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a depressant that affects the central nervous system. It was first created in the 1920’s and was under development as an anesthetic agent in the 1960’s. GHB is produced naturally in the human body in very small amounts, but its purpose or function is unclear. The drug came on the scene recently as a club drug at all-night dance parties and raves. GHB causes both an intense, euphoric high and sometimes it even causes hallucinations. GHB has caused many young people to require emergency medical care. Because the liquid is odorless and colorless, GHB diluted in drinks is virtually undetectable and sometimes is slipped unknowingly into someone else's drinks. This is why the drug got the nickname of the “date rape drug” because would-be rapists would slip the drug into an unsuspecting victim’s glass and then take advantage of their compromised state.
It is also not new to slip something into somebody's drink to incapacitate her. In the mid-1990s law enforcement agencies began to see a pattern of women having been surreptitiously drugged for the purpose of sexual assault and rape, particularly through the use of date rape drugs: odorless, tasteless incapacitating drugs that may produce anterograde amnesia. The female victim, typically enjoying an alcoholic drink in a relaxed environment, would find herself suddenly losing awareness of her surroundings. When she regained consciousness, hours later, she was often in a different location, with signs that she had been sexually interfered with, such as missing or disarranged clothing, bruises, the presence of semen, or vaginal or anal soreness. She felt after-effects of substance use such as wooziness, weakness or confusion, but she may had little or no memory of what had happened to her (Dr.Min Zhou).”
On the article “On a Date Rape” by Camille Paglia, creates a controversy discussion about how women have reached freedom throughout the years and blames young feminist for being “over privileged”. Her belief is that women in general misuse the social freedom she so virtuously fought for. She also mentioned that her generation was aware of the risk that they were taking, while today’s generation does not. However, she blames any young lady who finds herself into a perilous situation for the tragedy that follows; moreover, Paglia’s article is unreliable due to the abuse of several fallacies such as hasty generalization, false analogy, false cause, poising well, false dilemma, slippery slope, as well as straw men.
“College life is an important social domain that provides lifelong experiences and memories for millions of students each year. As these results show, part of this experience involves college women experiencing forcible rape and/or alcohol-or-drug-induced rape” (Fisher, Daigle, & Cullen, 2010, p. 83).
College student drunkenness is far from new and neither are college and university efforts to control it. What is new, however, is the potential to make real progress on this age-old problem based on scientific research results. New research-based information about the consequences of high-risk college drinking and how to reduce it can empower colleges and universities, communities, and other interested organizations to take effective action. Hazardous drinking among college students is a widespread problem that occurs on campuses of all sizes and geographic locations. A recent survey of college students conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health reported that 44 percent of respondents had drunk more than five drinks (four for women) consecutively in the previous two weeks. About 23 percent had had three or more such episodes during that time. The causes of this problem are the fact that students are living by themselves no longer with parents or guardians; they earn their own money; students need to be a part of a group, be accepted; and they have the wrong idea that to feel drunk is “cool.”
This article connects with other articles because it also highlights how some college students fail to realize the adverse side effects of taking and selling prescription stimulants due to the fact that it is a common practice in their environment, and there is little negative stigma attached to taking pills. The article from the Society for Prevention Research because found that when it comes to college students and drugs, there is a prevalent misuse of prescription stimulants due to dangerous misconceptions of the risks posed by misusing prescription stimulants. This article also gives an example of a study conducted by Amelia Arria in “2006 found that students who perceive prescription stimulants as relatively harmless are ten times more likely to use them than those who think that the drugs are extremely harmful”(Society for Prevention Research, 2008). This relates to the article from the University of South Carolina because they both thoroughly explain how the common misconceptions of prescription stimulants influence the prevalence of college students who misuse them. The article by Christian Teter, Sean McCabe, Kristy LaGrange, James Cranford, and Carol Boyd gives an overview of various reasons why some
The following morning is a dreadful, long one that stays with you forever. The memories in your mind keep crawling up every night when you fall asleep. You keep asking yourself, “Why did it happen to me? What did I do wrong?” Yet no answer comes to mind, all that you can think of is being violated, being misled for a simple task-rape. Why does it happen to us? What do the men see when the door is opened and a gorgeous women stands in front of their eyes. The mind collapses trying to find a solution to the problem. It's like having an exam and the only way for you to score is to cheat. So all girls are just scores guys try to push themselves upon? The mind grows blank and the human body works with sexual instinct. Date rape is one of those things that one man can't find a proper answer for. There are so many possibilities that one might think of as the cause of the problem. Which one is the right one? Is there one specific answer that is physiologically correct? No. Everyone has his or her own opinion, whether it is from experience or from common knowledge. Date rape is mainly cased by the in-proper behavior of the rapist. A man who can rape a woman has obviously been brought up in an uncomfortable, improper raised environment.
Crime in London is at an all time high and the amount of drug use and violence is soaring. Although several Americans are already well acquainted with the "date rape" drug, Royhypnol, the streets of London are now getting a dose of it as well. According to a recent issue of The London Student newspaper, the drug first came to notice in Scotland a year ago. The paper also makes many references to the previous and vigorous use of the drug in the U.S. Unfortunately, it seems that London has seen its fair share of the drug as well. The British police have already been informed of the problem and are asked to be aware of the presence of the drug along with its possible side effects. London women are being advised to watch their drink at all times and never accept a drink offered to them by a stranger.
Illicit drug use and the debate surrounding the various legal options available to the government in an effort to curtail it is nothing new to America. Since the enactment of the Harrison Narcotic Act in 1914 (Erowid) the public has struggled with how to effectively deal with this phenomena, from catching individual users to deciding what to do with those who are convicted (DEA). Complicating the issue further is the ever-expanding list of substances available for abuse. Some are concocted in basements or bathtubs by drug addicts themselves, some in the labs of multinational pharmaceutical companies, and still others are just old compounds waiting for society to discover them.
Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is a club drug that is extremely popular amongst high school and college students. Because club drugs can enhance enjoyment from touch they are used to increase intimacy and, worse, in rape situations. They are also used to stimulate psychedelic effects and to energize the user for the night. These designer drugs lead to the deaths of multiple people each year. Club drugs are created to induce a stimulant and psychedelic effect; however, these sensations are definitely not worth the addictive and disabling effects they may cause.
Crawford, E., O’Dougherty, W., & Birchmeier, Z. (2008). Drug-facilitated sexual assault: College women’s risk perception and behavioral choices. Journal of American College Health, 57(3). 261.
The drug control policy of the United States has always been a subject of debate. From Prohibition in the early 1930’s to the current debate over the legalization of marijuana, drugs have always been near the top of the government’s agenda. Drug use affects every part of our society. It strains our economy, our healthcare, our criminal justice systems, and it endangers the futures of young people. In order to support a public health approach to drug control, the Obama administration has committed over $10 billion to drug education programs and support for expanding access to drug treatment for addicts (Office). The United States should commit more government resources to protect against illegal use of drugs by youths and provide help for recovering addicts.
The National Drug Control Strategy was issued two years ago to reduce drug use among teenagers and adults. The success of the President’s drug policy can be measured by its results. The student drug testing approach has reduced drug use and discouraged first time users significantly. Communities have been more actively involved in anti-drug programs for youth and adults. The increase in budget for law enforcement will enhance their effectiveness in detaining drug lords and cartels.
High school students are leaders to younger kids and many others in their community. As a leader these student must show others what good character is like, but instead they are destroying their lives by doing drugs. In the past decade the drug use among high school students is on the rise once again. With the internet, their exposure to drugs is much greater. High school students are convinced that they are able to get away with using drugs. These drug addicts soon influence other students into doing the drugs because there isn’t a rule preventing drug use. In order to protect these student’s future, drug tests must be enforced among all students ensuring a safe environment for students to learn successfully. Allowing random drug testing in high schools will shy away students from trying these harmful drugs. The stop of drug use among high school students is crucial because drugs prevents student from learning leading them to dropping out of high school. Students that become overwhelmed by these harmful drugs will ruin their lives forever, but if steered in the right direction they can be saved.