Last of 5-part series

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Most of the hundreds of thousands of breakers who flood the sunny southern beaches during the annual rite of spring break return home safe and sound.

But every spring police and newspapers recount horror stories — high-school senior paralyzed in fall from hotel balcony, college sophomore drowns in swimming pool during drinking game and young woman reports date rape.

Officials say breakers should be concerned with moderation and safety:

BRAVE

Earlier this week, the Maple Hall Programming Board and the Richardson Court Association sponsored a spring break safety program presented by BRAVE (Be Ready Against Violence Everywhere).

Julie Turner, BRAVE president, said the most common misconception students have while on spring break is “the feeling they’re among people who aren’t going to hurt them.”

“We’re from the Midwest — we trust everyone,” she said.

One of the areas BRAVE is most concerned about for spring breakers is access to harmful new “date rape drugs.”

Rohypnol

According to Turner, Texas and Florida are not only popular vacation spots for students on break, they are also popular places for people to acquire and abuse Rohypnol.

Rohypnol is described like the tranquilizers used in Valium, but 10 times more potent. Some have slipped doses of the drug into drinks and then taken advantage of the helpless women.

“It’s so new that people don’t know what it is, what it can do to you and why they should watch out for it,” said Deb Hamling, vice president and founder of BRAVE.

While it’s illegal for Rohypnol to be prescribed in the United States, it is legal for individuals to purchase it elsewhere, namely Mexico, and bring it across U.S. borders.

During a three-week period, Drug Enforcement Agency officials saw 100,000 doses of Valium and Rohypnol brought into the United States at a single Texas checkpoint, according to the DEA records.

The effects of a drink laced with Rohypnol start in as little as 10 minutes and last eight hours or more.

In this situation, Rohypnol acts as a sedative, which slows motor skills, and induces amnesia, muscle relaxation and sleep.

According to Turner, the small half-life is the scary thing about the drug. After the effects wear off, it’s virtually impossible to trace.

When someone wakes after being victimized, they often can’t remember what happened. They may feel sluggish and think they drank too much the night before. Turner said they won’t remember a thing, instead the night will seem like a series of blackouts.

BRAVE suggested women take precautionary measures to be safe from drinks laced with Rohypnol when on spring break.

She said when drinking, people should only accept drinks in unopened containers. She advised not to drink out of wide mouth glasses and when asking for cans, people should open them up themselves. She also said people should not set their drinks down, even for a brief period.

Turner warned that women need to pay attention to their environments. “Be aware constantly, not just on spring break either.”