Executions

[Mystery_of_GodST]

Inquiring minds want to know, a fatal dose of what drugs will it take for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject? I want to know the drugs that will cause the easiest death, rather than other methods which are considered to be more painful.

 

I know the subject could be applied in a broad sense to suicide, but I'm just curious, I do not have the intention of killing myself.

 

 

[Horza2002]

I guess injecting somebody with a cyanide solution of a certain concentration would cause death pretty quickly. Or did you mean a pharmaceutical drug?

[Mr Skeptic]

All drugs will kill you in large enough doses. You should check out the drugs used for lethal injection, the government believes those are the most humane drugs to kill someone with. Though I'm sure shooting yourself full of morphine would work fine, I mean what pain are you going to feel?

[lemur]

All drugs will kill you in large enough doses. You should check out the drugs used for lethal injection, the government believes those are the most humane drugs to kill someone with. Though I'm sure shooting yourself full of morphine would work fine, I mean what pain are you going to feel?

You won't feel pain but you might end up in limbo between life and death instead of actually dying. In fact, I think it is harder to kill a healthy body than many people expect when they take on the task of attempting it. I think a general rule of thumb should be that basically anything intended to kill yourself or another living thing is more likely to stimulate an intense survival response than anything else; not really a promissing prospect when you're overcome by the death drive for whatever reason.

Edited January 20, 2011 by lemur

[Mystery_of_GodST]

As we proceed, I thank all for their co-operation.

 

I need to know a single drug where the death can be painlessly accomplished, without any risks.

 

 

[Horza2002]

Without any risks?!?! If your trying to kill someone, then what risks are you worried about? As has been said, just about anything (including water) in a large enough dose will kill you. Cyanide and CO posioning would be painless as you would simply feel tired/groggy, fall asleep and not wake up. In terms of drugs, im not so sure seeing as you body would be doing everything it could to deal with what you'd ingested...posioning doesn't sound the most painless way to go

[Ringer]

You also have to take into account things like how you are introducing the substance, in cases of pharmaceuticals, such as ingestion, inhaling, etc. Chemicals that are introduced directly into the blood stream will take effect faster than, say, ingesting it. Again if you're considering pharmaceuticals you also have to take into account tolerance of the drug. So there is no absolute value of what volume of whatever chemical will definitely kill, though, like was said before, the chemicals used in executions are fairly reliable and thought to be virtually pain free.

[StringJunky]

Pentobarbital is used by assisted suicide organisations and in animal euthaniasia in Europe so I would think that's considered the most humane drug of choice for this purpose.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentobarbital

Edited January 20, 2011 by StringJunky

[Marat]

Potassium cyanide in a dose of 1 gm to 1.5 gm, mixed in a glass of water, is about the right amount to kill the average sized human quickly. But there are risks with this method, since getting the dose wrong because the subject has larger body mass or the drug is absorbed inefficiently can result in a prolonged, agonizing death from convulsions. Still, since potassium cyanide used to be used as a chemical in photographic processing, it was easy to get ahold of, so it was a reasonable method -- if you were prepared for the risk.

 

There are drugs for animal euthanasia available at pet stores in Mexico over-the-counter, and these are effective and relatively painless in humans. The only problem is that you cannot bring these drugs into the U.S., so you have to use them in Mexico. Some people may find dying from an overdose of dog poison in a cheap hotel in Juarez to be a less than suitably heroic death, but if you're sufficiently desperate to want to commit suicide then what do the aesthetics matter?

 

By the way, weren't you the same poster who wanted to know which part of the brain to shoot for the most lethal effect?

[Mystery_of_GodST]

Potassium cyanide in a dose of 1 gm to 1.5 gm, mixed in a glass of water, is about the right amount to kill the average sized human quickly. But there are risks with this method, since getting the dose wrong because the subject has larger body mass or the drug is absorbed inefficiently can result in a prolonged, agonizing death from convulsions. Still, since potassium cyanide used to be used as a chemical in photographic processing, it was easy to get ahold of, so it was a reasonable method -- if you were prepared for the risk.

 

There are drugs for animal euthanasia available at pet stores in Mexico over-the-counter, and these are effective and relatively painless in humans. The only problem is that you cannot bring these drugs into the U.S., so you have to use them in Mexico. Some people may find dying from an overdose of dog poison in a cheap hotel in Juarez to be a less than suitably heroic death, but if you're sufficiently desperate to want to commit suicide then what do the aesthetics matter?

 

By the way, weren't you the same poster who wanted to know which part of the brain to shoot for the most lethal effect?

 

If I take more than what you prescribed, (1 gm to 1.5gm), say I took 3-5 gm, would that elimate the risks?

[Marat]

Since counselling suicide is illegal (though I find the law in this matter ridiculous, since suicide itself is not illegal, so how can counselling a legal act be a crime?), I will presuppose in my answer that you are only asking your question out of a purely theoretical interest.

 

Taking an excess amount of potassium chloride is what most increases the danger of a highly unpleasant death from convulsions. Having to tailor the dose precisely is what makes this such a risky method.

 

As I have commented earlier, the only way to ensure a certain and painless death is the Warner Brothers cartoon method of strapping two sticks of dynamite to your head and lighting the fuses. That way the person killing himself avoids the risk of merely injuring himself and making things worse, and the method selected blows the sensory neurons apart so fast that the sensation is never perceived.

[Horza2002]

Why exactly do you want to know all this anyway?

[ShmuckersJam]

If your intent is not suicide, then what is your intent? I find it odd and suspicious your even curious on this matter...

[Marat]

Should those in a science forum regard suspicion with curiosity? A book, 'Final Exit,' has already been published on effective suicide methods, and it was extremely popular -- though the market quickly died out. Given its popularity (even though its preferred method was ridiculous), we must assume that society regards it as appropriate to allow people to indulge their curiosity about these methods.

[keelanz]

Should those in a science forum regard suspicion with curiosity? A book, 'Final Exit,' has already been published on effective suicide methods, and it was extremely popular -- though the market quickly died out. Given its popularity (even though its preferred method was ridiculous), we must assume that society regards it as appropriate to allow people to indulge their curiosity about these methods.

 

somebody with the name of MysteryOfGodST im not quite sure it is appropriate

[Doc. Josh]

By law could this be in any way illegal? We are assiting someone in the knowledge of a proper suicide. http://public.findlaw.com/abaflg/flg-17-4d-2.html Including his/her previous thread. just a flag here.....

 

MYSTERY_

 

 

((((((As we proceed, I thank all for their co-operation))))))

 

 

 

(((((If I take more than what you prescribed, (1 gm to 1.5gm), say I took 3-5 gm, would that elimate the risks?)))))))))

[thinker_jeff]

Scary topic!

I think that should be banned.

[Marat]

Since the book, 'Final Exit,' was published in the 1990s and became a best seller with no legal consequences for the author or the publisher, and it canvassed in great detail all the various methods of suicide and discussed which is best, I doubt that discussing theoretically here the various methods of suicide would be regarded as counselling. Similarly, I think it was Abby Hoffman who published a book entitled 'Steal This Book,' which could have been interpreted as counselling theft of that book from the bookstores where it was displayed, but he was never charged with counselling or incitement for that title.

 

Usually for an offense of counselling, aiding, abetting, inciting, etc., you have to have an actual person about to commit the act right in front of you, and the situation has to be quite specific. There was a case recently of a nurse in the U.S. who advised a woman in Canada to commit suicide via an internet chat, and the nurse was convicted of an offense, but that case seems distinguishable since the relation to a specific person and situation was much more determinate. In the present case, there is no indication that anyone really wants to commit suicide rather than just to gather information for a paper on toxicology, and since we cannot know the identity behind the webname, we have no basis for determining that there is anything more to this than idle curiosity.

[Doc. Josh]

Marat,Understood and agreed, However the termanology and context used here is indeed (((( What if I touk x amount of x)))) IMO that directly states personal endangerment. Didnt want to dispute just simply throw a flag out there for personal precaution.

[random]

 

As I have commented earlier, the only way to ensure a certain and painless death is the Warner Brothers cartoon method of strapping two sticks of dynamite to your head and lighting the fuses. That way the person killing himself avoids the risk of merely injuring himself and making things worse, and the method selected blows the sensory neurons apart so fast that the sensation is never perceived.

 

I wonder about the effectiveness of this Marat, I have seen up close and personal a stuntman place himself in a box with 2 sticks of dynamite and emerge unscathed. granted the box was styrofoam and he of course wore hearing protection. The organization this man worked for is called the hell drivers so you may be able to find a video online somewhere.

I think it is kind of like lighting a firecracker in your hand, if your hand is open you only burn the palm if you close your hand around it well now you only have 1 hand. Granted the percussion from dynamite is what? 1000 fold stronger?

[SMF]

A not so fun addition to the dynamite comments. I believe that there have been several instances of individuals that thought they were playing a joke on friends that enacted a suicide by putting a pistol against their head and firing a blank and killed themselves from the concussion.

[Marat]

Random: If you've ever seen what two sticks of dynamite will do to a wall at a demolition site or to a mound of earth at a construction site, you would be fairly confident that you would not survive their explosion right next to your head. One of the generals involved in the July 20, 1944 plot to kill Hitler killed himself with a handgrenade held to his head, so I suppose dynamite would work similarly well. Only Wiley Coyote seems to survive the experience, at least from the evidence of cartoons.

[random]

Random: If you've ever seen what two sticks of dynamite will do to a wall at a demolition site or to a mound of earth at a construction site, you would be fairly confident that you would not survive their explosion right next to your head. One of the generals involved in the July 20, 1944 plot to kill Hitler killed himself with a handgrenade held to his head, so I suppose dynamite would work similarly well. Only Wiley Coyote seems to survive the experience, at least from the evidence of cartoons.

 

 

Nope I haven't seen it All I saw was a fellow climb into close quarters with 2 sticks of dynamite and walk away from it like nothing happened. I am just debating if the explosive would need to be tamped so the force did not take the path of least resistance, As per the grenade the explosive force is contained and the explosion produces shrapnel, correct? So it is not the concussive force that kills you it's the projectiles at high velocity.

 

I think the explosion, if unconfined, would result in some burning, deafness, etc. but not neccessarily death.

I saw on a website a fellow take a shotgun barrel of buckshot to the head and survive (rotten.com) all that remained was a pulpy mass but he still lived through it. (don't look at it if you have a weak stomach the image is not for the faint of heart)

[Marat]

I guess I'll have to put a big bucket around my head when it's time for my own 'final exit.' I have heard many stories of unsuccessful suicide attempts made by firing a shotgun at the head. The broad spray of small pellets, which is so effective at wounding and thus eventually bringing down animals if the hunter's aim is not lethal, turns out to be a major disadvantage when using the weapon for suicide, and gun dealers should alert potential buyers to this downside. Curiously, most people who present at the hospital emergency ward after a suicide attempt do not attempt suicide again, possibly because the act serves as a kind of catharsis for the self-destructive impulse. The great exception to this rule are schizophrenics, who are often so fanatically determined to die that after admission to the hospital after an unsuccessful attempt they will resort to even the most fantastic, implausible, and painful means to die, if their environment fails to provide them with more convenient facilities.

[PhDwannabe]

I have heard many stories of unsuccessful suicide attempts made by firing a shotgun at the head. The broad spray of small pellets, which is so effective at wounding and thus eventually bringing down animals if the hunter's aim is not lethal, turns out to be a major disadvantage when using the weapon for suicide, and gun dealers should alert potential buyers to this downside.

What? How on earth is a spray of pellets a disadvantage at point-blank range? Most people don't attempt suicide with a gun that's twenty yards away. There are few things civilians have access to with more stopping power at point-blank or standoff ranges than a shotgun. Any weapon can miss. I see absolutely no reason why a shotgun in particular would make a miss more survivable. That doesn't stand to reason. Back up your claim.

 

Curiously, most people who present at the hospital emergency ward after a suicide attempt do not attempt suicide again, possibly because the act serves as a kind of catharsis for the self-destructive impulse.

Uhhhh... a history of past attempts is widely known to be among the strongest predictors for future attempts. Do you have any data whatsoever to support this claim?

 

The great exception to this rule are schizophrenics, who are often so fanatically determined to die that after admission to the hospital after an unsuccessful attempt they will resort to even the most fantastic, implausible, and painful means to die

Do you have any data whatsoever to support this claim?