The ongoing difficulties in obtaining the best euthanasia drug, Nembutal, saw Exit become involved in an ambitious research project - the synthesis of one’s own ‘Peaceful Pill’.
The Peaceful Pill Project ran for several years involving a diversity of Exit members. Many strategies were explored (and rejected) with some significant advances made. In this Chapter we detail this Exit research and discuss in more detail the use of the drug Nembutal for a peaceful death.
Developing a Peaceful Pill
The synthesis of a barbiturate-like pill, involves the acquisition of restricted and hard-to-get chemicals and the use of processes that are difficult and occasionally dangerous for the novice. Nevertheless, as the pathways become established and simplified, safer processes are developed and recorded. An outline of the steps required for barbiturate synthesis and assay are described and illustrated where possible with video.