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Testing the Safety of Tasers On Meth-Addled Sheep

Funded in part by Taser International, a recent study was done to learn the effects of being tasered while on methamphetamines. Since someone would probably complain about researchers going around and tasering meth addicts, they used sheep instead. From the article: "The less-lethal device of choice was the Taser X26, a standard law enforcement tool which can fire at suspects from a distance of 35 feet. Researchers shocked sixteen anesthetized sheep after dosing the animals with an IV drip of methamphetamine hydrochloride. Some of the smaller sheep weighing less than 70.5 pounds suffered exacerbated heart symptoms related to meth use. But neither the smaller nor larger sheep showed signs of the ventricular fibrillation condition, a highly abnormal heart rhythm that can become fatal."

4 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. Re:But people getting tasered aren't usually tranq by meerling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There's that, and an extraordinarily small sample size. Not to mention the sheep were supposedly all in good health, unlike possible human victims.
    As far as a medical study goes to prove or disprove reports of complications in field conditions with actual humans, it's a worthless piece of shit. (And I'm being nice about it.)
    It's obviously propaganda as opposed to credible science.

    Not to sound like a tinfoil hat wearer, but do you think funding of the study by the Taser company and it being done by stockholders in the same company might have something to do with it?

  2. Re:But people getting tasered aren't usually tranq by stephanruby · · Score: 5, Informative
    Oh, and I just love that in the article, the most relevant bits of information are listed near the bottom, and quite in the most dismissive fashion as well.

    The study that appears in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine openly lists a few caveats. Aside from being partially funded by Taser International, the study authors include two physicians who represent medical consultants and stockholders of the company. One of the two is also the medical director of Taser International.

    Medical director of Taser International?? Really? WTF?

  3. Re:But people getting tasered aren't usually tranq by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's bro.... Don't tase me bro....

    You ignorant fuckwit....

    In this case it is don't tase me baaah!

  4. Re:But people getting tasered aren't usually tranq by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Funny

    It was absolutely imperative that no sheep got hurt, or killed, during that test.

    Right, who was supposed to bring the mint sauce?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."