Question

*Is government using medical knowledge (medications) to kill a person?

*How those medications work?

*Do you consider that lethal injection is the" most humane" of all capital punishments?

Answer 1

Yes, the government is using medical knowledge to kill a person.

In the United States, capital punishment by injecting lethal chemicals is widely practiced. The lethal injection used in the US is not a single injection but 3 different injections administered intravenously in a sequence. Sodium thiopental, Pancuronium bromide and Potassium chloride are injected in that order.

Sodium thiopental is an anasthetic which makes the person unconsious within 30 seconds of injection.

Pancuronium bromate is a muscle relaxant and paralyses all voluntary/striated muscles. Especially the muscles of respiration like diaphragm, intercostal muscles. This results in the arrest of respiration and death occurs by asphyxiation

Potassium chloride which is injected in high concentration stops the heart beat and death occurs by cardiac arrest.

I consider lethal injection is the most humane of all. With the first injection, the person becomes unconscious. The later injections can cause severe pain and suffering if given in conscious state. There is no or minimal physical pain in this method.

Lethal inhjection is more humane compared to death by hanging or electrocution or shooting with a gun.