US lethal injection drug shortage throws executions into disarray

[ck4829]

In the midst of a drug shortage that has already forced postponement of lethal injection executions across the United States, some states say they now have the drug in hand but are refusing to disclose its origin.

The unprecedented situation has been compounded by an inmate scheduled to die Tuesday but who is suing to stop his own execution, arguing that the drug which the state of Arizona intends to use may be counterfeit or unsafe.

Only one pharmaceutical company in the United States, Hospira, currently manufactures the drug, the anesthetic sodium thiopental.

But it is out of stock and will not be able to resume production until the first quarter of 2011, and Hospira's most recent batch is nearing its 2011 expiration date.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101024/ts_alt_afp/usjusticeexecutiondrugs

Oh no, without our lethal injections however will we maintain our... well... uh... um... killing... deterring... something... something's that definitely NOT red meat for the teabaggers... uh...

[ThomWV]

1. Is there only one drug that can be injected that will kill a man? How about using Heroin?

I can think of a few drugs that could be injected that would kill a man that are plentiful. Heroin comes immediately to mind.

[ck4829]

2. If somebody HAD to be executed (Don't ask me why, just a hypothetical)

I'd suggest nitrogen asphyxiation, the person would sit in a chamber, nitrogen would flow in, and the person's brain wouldn't even notice the air is being replaced with the gas (Since normal air is already 3/4 nitrogen anyway). They'd pass out very peacefully.

[DCKit]

4. Can't have that.

They've got to suffer. :sarcasm:

[malaise]

3. They can use drones

:sarcasm: