States Turn To an Unproven Method of Execution: Nitrogen Gas (nytimes.com)

States are reportedly turning to nitrogen gas to carry out the death penalty. "Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi have authorized nitrogen for executions and are developing protocols to use it, which represents a leap into the unknown," reports The New York Times. "There is no scientific data on executing people with nitrogen, leading some experts to question whether states, in trying to solve old problems, may create new ones." Slashdot reader schwit1 shares an excerpt from a report via The New York Times: What little is known about human death by nitrogen comes from industrial and medical accidents and its use in suicide. In accidents, when people have been exposed to high levels of nitrogen and little air in an enclosed space, they have died quickly. In some cases co-workers who rushed in to rescue them also collapsed and died. Nitrogen itself is not poisonous, but someone who inhales it, with no air, will pass out quickly, probably in less than a minute, and die soon after -- from lack of oxygen. The same is true of other physiologically inert gases, including helium and argon, which kill only by replacing oxygen.

Death from nitrogen is thought to be painless. It should prevent the condition that causes feelings of suffocation: the buildup of carbon dioxide from not being able to exhale. Humans are highly sensitive to carbon dioxide -- too much brings on the panicky feeling of not being able to breathe. Somewhat surprisingly, the lack of oxygen doesn't trigger that same reflex. Someone breathing pure nitrogen can still exhale carbon dioxide and therefore should not have the sensation of smothering.

Comments

Violation

[TranquilVoid]

Using an unproven means is a clear ethics violation. Where are the double-blind clinical trials?.

Nitrogen is a dangerous gas!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

This story leads me to a very humorous event at work. While working on a A/C system, I noted to an inspector that the dry nitrogen in the system (used to pressure test the pipes) needed to be released into the atmosphere. This A/C was for a temporary building in the middle of a wide open yard for a power company.

Well this idea.....releasing a gas into the atmosphere was enough to trigger multiple phone calls, and eventually a 4 week delay, since there was about 3 very important meetings about this deadly concept.

I noted to the inspector that air contains 78% Nitrogen. But, he was not convinced, and knew that his job was now question.

Finally, the mighty minds, agreed to let me take out the nitrogen, but it needed to be recovered.
This time, I kept my mouth shut, and "recovered" the nitrogen........

All was well, and the power company lives to see another day.... :)

Re: Should be simple enough to try it on animals f

[p4ul13]

Plus it would make the prisoners last words sound awesome!

Re: Should be simple enough to try it on animals f

[Anonymous Coward]

Use helium gas.

Then at least death row inmates could turn their last minutes into a comedy skit, should they wish.

Re:Painless and humane eh?

[tdelaney]

I'd never thought of using chickens for this purpose ...

FFS American folks...

[ZeroPly]

I'm going to sketch out some dots (really close together), and I want you to try to connect them...

1 - you're trying to come up with a way to efficiently off people
2 - you're constantly screeching about how fentanyl is instant death

Re: Should be simple enough to try it on animals f

[Anonymous Coward]

I say death by snu snu

Re:Unproven?

[cheater512]

FDA typically approves things that are healthy for you, so I'm not surprised that N2 isn't approved for human use. :P

Re: Should be simple enough to try it on animals f

[HiThere]

I think nitrous oxide would be a better choice. They might not die quickly, but they wouldn't care.

Re:Nitrogen leaks are inevitable

[StikyPad]

As you read this, you're breathing 78.09% nitrogen

Holy shit!! First I find out dihydrogen monoxide is in nearly everything I eat and drink, now you're telling me this "nitrogen" stuff is in all of the air I'm breathing?

We're all fucked!!