Rohypnol Imports To Be Banned In USA

The USA has banned the import of Hoffmann-La Roche's sedative drug Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) and the Drug Enforcement Agency will reclassify it as a Schedule 1 drug with no accepted medical use. The product has been a cause of concern in the USA for some time, and has allegedly become the abused drug of choice in some US states.

The US Food and Drug Administration has said that the drug has no legitimate need in the USA that is not already met by legal and approved drugs. A sedative around 10 times more potent than diazepam, it has been linked with "date rape" cases, according to the US Treasury Department. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin noted that Rohypnol has been gaining popularity in the south and southwest states, where it is commonly used a secondary drug to alcohol and marijuana.

Personal-Use Import Loophole Closed The so-called "roofies" are manufactured overseas and used legally in around 60 countries for insomnia; until the ban, US travelers could import a three-month supply for personal use. The Customs Service will now seize any amount of the drug brought in by travelers, in commercial shipments or by mail.