Eli5: Why can’t prisons just use a large quantity of morphine for executions?

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In large enough doses, morphine depresses breathing while keeping dying patients relatively comfortable until the end. So why can’t death row prisoners use lethal amounts of morphine instead of a dodgy cocktail of drugs that become difficult to get as soon as drug companies realize what they’re being used for?

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15 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

As others have said the drug companies refuse to sell or don’t want their name attached to controversial executions. Sure people die from morphine all the time but the manufacturers don’t want X companies version known as the harbinger of death in something that morally most are against.

Honestly the easiest and painless method is dirt cheap and been used by the end of life DIY group(s) for years something like Helium via mask or bag on head and the person has no gag/caugh reflex and just goes to sleep.

There was controversy years back over Exit Bag kits being sold for people with terminal illnesses since MAD has really only started to become available in some places.

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