![\"Alan](\"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Alan-Miller-close-up.jpg\")
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What is nitrogen hypoxia?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn 2018, Alabama became the third state to authorise the untested use of nitrogen gas to execute prisoners, after Oklahoma and Mississippi.<\/p>\n
At the time, state law gave inmates a brief window to select it as their preferred execution method.<\/p>\n
Nitrogen makes up 78% of the air inhaled by humans and is harmless when inhaled with oxygen. The theory behind the execution method is that changing the composition of the air to 100% nitrogen would cause the inmate to pass out and then die from lack of oxygen.<\/p>\n
States began proposing nitrogen hypoxia as an alternate execution method because of difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs and ongoing litigation over the humaneness of that method.<\/p>\n
Those in favour of it have argued it will be simpler and more humane.<\/p>\n
‘Human experiment’<\/strong><\/h3>\nTrip Pittman, a Republican lawmaker who sponsored the 2018 legislation, theorised it would be similar to how aircraft passengers pass out when a plane depressurises.<\/p>\n
However, critics have likened the method to human experimentation.<\/p>\n
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said it “is completely untested”.<\/p>\n
While proponents have theorised it would be quick and painless, Dunham noted that states once said the same thing about the electric chair.<\/p>\n
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s euthanasia guidelines say inert gas hypoxia is acceptable, under certain conditions, for the euthanasia of chickens, turkeys and pigs but is not recommended for other mammals such as rats.<\/p>\n
Read More<\/strong>:
\nInmate on death row for 25 years ‘totally innocent’<\/a>
\nTexas’ oldest death row inmate says he will give victim’s family ‘big hug in heaven’<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Source: \u00a0![\"Sky](\"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/sky-news-logo-1.png\")
<\/a> news.sky.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Trip Pittman, a Republican lawmaker who sponsored the 2018 legislation, theorised it would be similar to how aircraft passengers pass out when a plane depressurises.<\/p>\n
However, critics have likened the method to human experimentation.<\/p>\n
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said it “is completely untested”.<\/p>\n
While proponents have theorised it would be quick and painless, Dunham noted that states once said the same thing about the electric chair.<\/p>\n
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s euthanasia guidelines say inert gas hypoxia is acceptable, under certain conditions, for the euthanasia of chickens, turkeys and pigs but is not recommended for other mammals such as rats.<\/p>\n
Read More<\/strong>: <\/p>\n Source: \u00a0
\nInmate on death row for 25 years ‘totally innocent’<\/a>
\nTexas’ oldest death row inmate says he will give victim’s family ‘big hug in heaven’<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a> news.sky.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"