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

Re:Like breathing at high altitude w/o O2.

[ooloorie]

Because cavemen. And also lying about it, because "punishment" is something you can walk away from. This is revenge and savagery.

I think we should encourage your kind of thinking and give people the option to take on guardianship, with full liability, for any death row inmate they want (there would still have to be monitoring, of course). If they offend again, you, as the guardian, will receive the punishment. That way, everybody who thinks like you can put their money and life where their mouth is. How about it?

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

[BeauHD (5)]

Here is how they execute pigs. Listen to the screams. They know they are being suffocated and will be eaten.

There has got to be a better way.

-=]Beau]=-