Execution Vs Right To Die Drugs.

[flobadob]

A while back there was a big hoo haa in the United States because the drugs used to execute someone didn't work properly and they had an uncomfortable demise. Apparently the drugs that they used before are no longer available.

Last week in Oregon a terminally ill woman, who moved there will the sole intention of choosing the moment of her death, did so, with all of her family around her while she fell into an eternal slumber.

My question is why don't they simply use the right to die drugs in executions?

[Clanad]

Primarily because the law enabling execution in the State of Arizona (where the hubub occurred) requires a dead certain (pun partially intended) mix of drugs and only those drugs in a given percentage. The drugs prescribed by law are midazolam and hydromorphone. These same two drugs were administered in two previous cases and didn't go well in those events either. The drugs were under evaluation by several States at the time (May, 2014) of the Arizona attempt.

The previous cocktail of drugs that had proven, over a long period of time to be effective and immediate, were pulled from such use by the pharmaceutical manufacturers (who, ironically are European companies) who objected to their product being used is such fashion. Apparently the drugs have other legitimate applications and are still produced.

The case, as can be imagined, is under review. In Woods case (the criminal who murdered his girl friend and her father in cold blood) 15 doses were administered over a period of two hours. Normal expectation is two doses over a few minutes...

The issue of using the Phentobarbital used by the Orgon woman who committted suicide is that it is only available in a few States that permit doctor assisted suicide, Oregon being the most active. The drug, which apparently, has no other uses is only avialable by prescription which weren't possible in Arizona...

[thugulike]

You can put an animal down quickly and painlessly anywhere. No need for the long slow death. Surely everyone deserves some dignity in death no matter what they've done

[EDDIE51]

Clanad I am against the death penalty , but I can never understand why the USA with all its gun owners can not just use a firing squad if the death sentence is passed. There would be no shortage of volunteers , in fact there would be so many wanting to do the deed they would have to use a lottery to select them.