Hospira to Stop Making Lethal-Injection Drug

Wall Street Journal ^ | January 21, 2011 | NATHAN KOPPEL

[Second Amendment First]

The sole U.S. maker of a key execution drug has decided to permanently halt production of the drug, which could lead many states to face delay in carrying out the death penalty.

The decision made on Friday by Hospira Inc. caps months of controversy over thiopental sodium, an anesthetic that has long been used by states as a part of a cocktail of drugs administered during a lethal injection. Previously

Hospira's decision puts a wrench in the nation's capital-punishment system. States can attempt to use another anesthetic in place of thiopental, but such a switch likely would need to be approved by courts and possibly state legislators.

Many states have run out of thiopental, forcing prison officials to delay executions. The drug shortage followed a 2009 decision by Hospira to suspend production due to manufacturing issues.

The Lake Forrest, Ill., company had planned to resume producing thiopental in the first quarter of 2011 at a company plant in Liscate, Italy. But in December, the Italian parliament issued an order binding the government to ensure that Hospira's Italian-made thiopental would not be used in lethal injections.

[Second Amendment First]

I don't understand why they just don't give them a hot shot of a powerful narcotic, a massive dose that would kill a horse. Would work every time, and the opponents couldn't claim they suffered pain.

Problem with veins? Put a tube in their stomach.

[WakeUpAndVote]

There are other alternatives.

[fredhead]

We don't need drugs!!!!

[Mr. K]

If I knew I was about to die and did not want to be a burden on my children I would WANT a lethal dose of heroin

That is more than these bastrds deserve....

[Second Amendment First]

Yeah, I know, but do you want to spend more tax dollars building gallows or shooting galleries when we already have execution suites. Pay prison guards to learn new protocols?

Besides, this would be easier to pass.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Hospira’s decision puts a wrench in the nation’s capital-punishment system.****

Go down to your local vet or agricultural supply and pick up a bottle of BLACK LEAF-40 (Nicotene Sulfate). Works wonders when putting down a 900 lb horse (Six seconds!)when injuected into an artery or vein.

Otherwise, a .22 hollow point also works wonders.

[Gena Bukin]

There are other alternatives.

Yep. The French devised a quick, painless and 100% effective instrument more than 200 years ago. And a physician doesn't even need to be present to determine that an execution has been properly carried out.

[LostInBayport]

The answer is simple.

Step 1. Lock the convict on the balcony of a skyscraper with only a loud television that plays nothing but reruns of The View on an endless loop.

Step 2. Clean up the street.

[Lurker]

Nitrogen asphyxiation.

[madamemayhem]

short drop, sudden stop.

[EQAndyBuzz]

I would use the break glass approach. Put one in the cell and instead of an alarm going off, a buttet gets fired into the scums brain. Put. Drain in the cell. When the puke stops bleeding, remove body, hose down cell and get ready for the next POS.

I would do this the day the person is sentenced to death. And yes, i would gave the view running 24x7.

[Vigilanteman]

As one of my favorite law enforcement people once remarked: "What's another needle in the arm to a murdering junkie."

There's nothing like a good, old fashioned hanging, complete with hymn singing and picnic baskets. We could hire the Singaporeans to train us how to conduct a proper hanging. They are as adept at it as we used to be.

[Max in Utah]

Nitrogen asphyxiation.

It's the most logical method for replacing lethal injection.

A deep sea diver decompression tank would work well for this. Overpressurize it with nitrogen, vent it down to normal pressure, repressurize with nitrogen. Hold for 30 minutes then purge the nitrogen with air. Done.

But I would still prefer that they be hanged. In public.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

I’m a bit suspicious that this decision came about due to external pressure. Since executions are performed by various governments, the price of the drug certainly isn’t a factor. Methinks that pressure was brought to bear in an attempt to find a back door way to stop executions. Heck, it could even be hidden in Obamacare for all we know.

[European Guest]

It is okay if you find other alternatives to get rid of your criminals.

Nevertheless we Europeans can not deliver you any poison for legal reasons, since it would be simply accessory in murder to our laws. It would put the European (Italian) facillity and its employees at risk of liability.

Different countries, different morals and manners.

:)

[Max in Utah]

Okay, just sell us some rope then.

[European Guest]

Well although I like to make business I would not sell you any rope for hanging up your criminals either, since I could be send to prison then. That is not worth the efford. You simply have to buy your poison/rope or whatever somewhere else.

Regards from Europe/Germany

Andreas