Which substance is a common sexual assault drug that is a synthetic depressant with about 15 minute effects?

Which substance is a common sexual assault drug that is a synthetic depressant with about 15 minute effects?

• A. Ethanol
• B. Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
• C. Rohypnol
• D. Ketamine

Answer: (B)

GHB is a synthetic central nervous system depressant that acts quickly, with effects typically starting within about 15 minutes of ingestion. This rapid onset is a hallmark that makes it particularly dangerous in the context of drug-facilitated assaults, because a drink can seem fine at first and the victim can become sedated and unable to resist within a short window. It’s often described as colorless and tasteless in liquid form, which has contributed to its notoriety as a date-rape drug. While alcohol (ethanol) is also a depressant, it is not synthetic and is widely encountered in everyday beverages. Rohypnol and ketamine have different pharmacological profiles and onset patterns, so they don’t fit the description of a quick-acting synthetic depressant used in this way as neatly as GHB does.

GHB is a synthetic central nervous system depressant that acts quickly, with effects typically starting within about 15 minutes of ingestion. This rapid onset is a hallmark that makes it particularly dangerous in the context of drug-facilitated assaults, because a drink can seem fine at first and the victim can become sedated and unable to resist within a short window. It’s often described as colorless and tasteless in liquid form, which has contributed to its notoriety as a date-rape drug. While alcohol (ethanol) is also a depressant, it is not synthetic and is widely encountered in everyday beverages. Rohypnol and ketamine have different pharmacological profiles and onset patterns, so they don’t fit the description of a quick-acting synthetic depressant used in this way as neatly as GHB does.