Although not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, mention of the drug "Rohypnol" may have a vaguely familiar ring to residents in the United States.

But its more common moniker, "Roofie," is hauntingly becoming more recognized. The "date rape drug" also known as rufie, rope, red, La Roches, rape, ruffles and the "forget pill" (or its scientific name flunitrazepam) is making its way across the United Stares, through college campuses and our communities.

What can we do to stop it?

Currently, this drug is a Schedule III substance of the Controlled Substance Act, but in response to the drug’s escalating abuse, the DEA is considered raising that classification to Schedule I, same category reserved for heroin and LSD. In October 1996, President Clinton signed the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act, making it a federal crime to use rohypnol as a means to incapacitate an unsuspecting victim. Illegal possession of more than one gram can now lead to up to 20 years in prison and a million-dollar fine.

Some people thing rohypnol is an aphrodesiac, but it is really a hypnotic agent, and it also slows motor responses. One of the most heinous uses for this drug is as "knockout drops". Rohypnol has assisted culprits in committing sexual crimes, theft, and even murder.

In combination with alcohol, rohypnol leads to decreased inhibitions and memory impairment. In the common date rape scenario, it is slipped into a drink for this exact purpose. Often, victimized women have no remembrance of the assault, making prosecution difficult. In many cases, the victims are adolescents or young adults. Thus women in high school or on college campuses should be aware of the danger of accepting alcoholic drinks from unknown men, an unknown source (such as a spiked punch bowl), or leaving them unattended.

What’s perhaps even more alarming, though, is people are no longer just taking advantage of others my slipping this drug into drinks. They are increasingly abusing it themselves- on purpose- often to mimic or intensify the effects of drunkenness.

Abused alone, small doses of rohypnol may cause short-term memory loss, drowsiness, dizziness, decreased motor coordination, nausea, headaches, decreased blood pressure, blurred vision and dry mouth. Higher doses may cause irritability and aggressive outbursts. Blackouts can also ensue, causing partial to total amnesia. The highest doses, or rohypnol ingested along with alcohol, marijuana or cocaine, can lead to respiratory depression, aspiration, coma and death.