• The Drug Overdose • Drugs, Swallowing & Taste • Drugs and Alcohol • Drug Tolerance • Slow Release (SR) & Enteric Coated (EC) Drugs • Alternative Routes of Administration of Drugs • Resuscitation • Shelf Life of Drugs
Introduction
For many people, taking drugs or substances orally (by mouth) is the preferred way to end life. Substances taken in this way (eg. Nembutal liquid) require no special equipment. It is this simplicity that explains the appeal of this version of the Peaceful Pill. And with no need for any additional equipment, the death is more likely to be misinterpreted as a death from ‘natural causes’.
For example, a person with serious illness who dies from drinking Nembutal looks as if they have died in their sleep. Most examining doctors would sign the death certificate indicating that this was the natural death from their illness. If an autopsy is undertaken, the causative drug will be discovered, but autopsies are increasingly rare in situations where the attending doctor believes the cause of death is clear (see the final Chapter for a discussion of this).
Although taking a drug orally might seem to be the simplest way of obtaining a peaceful and dignified death, the method does requires planning and a detailed knowledge of the substance to be used.
