The Peaceful Pill Handbook
Encyclopedia
The Peaceful Pill Handbook is a controversial book giving instructions on how to perform euthanasia
. It was originally published in the U.S. in 2007 and was written by the Australian doctors Philip Nitschke
and Fiona Stewart.
The book describes legal and moral aspects of suicide
and euthanasia and provides how-to instructions for several suicide methods
. The primary focus of the book is on peaceful (non-violent and painless) suicide methods that can be used by seriously ill and elderly people. To distinguish between suitable and non-suitable methods, Dr. Nitschke introduces the RP (Reliability-Peacefulness) rating. One of the recommended suicide methods involves drinking pentobarbital
, a drug that Mexican veterinary drug stores sell (illegally) without prescription.
The book was initially banned in New Zealand
since it was deemed to be objectionable. The ban in New Zealand was lifted in 2008. The book is banned in Australia, in both printed and, according to WikiLeaks
, online versions. At the same time, the book was freely sold in other countries, in particular by Amazon.com
in the US. Since May 2008 it has been allowed for sale in New Zealand if sealed and an indication of the censorship classification was displayed. To circumvent the continuing import ban in Australia, an online for-pay ebook edition was launched in October 2008. The more expensive online edition includes videos and other material, not available with the printed book. The Australian government included the handbook website in its internet filtering plan in 2009. (See Internet censorship in Australia
).
Nitschke was involved in an argument in the press with the family of a woman suffering from post-natal depression who read the book and took the advice offered about travelling to Mexico. Her drawn-out death caused her family to attack the accuracy of the book's advice. Nitschke responded by saying that there was no way of knowing which drugs the woman actually took and whether the drugs were still potent.
Because there are problems with the "Mexican option" (high cost of travel, high crime rate in Mexico, unreliability of drug availability, counterfeit or expired Nembutal), Nitschke announced, in December 2008, that he now supported the use of a do-it-yourself euthanasia device that relied only on easily available items. Later in 2009 he announced the availability of a testing kit to help people determine if the Nembutal they had bought was still potent.
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. It was originally published in the U.S. in 2007 and was written by the Australian doctors Philip Nitschke
Philip Nitschke
Dr. Philip Nitschke is an Australian medical doctor, humanist, author and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. He campaigned successfully to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before...
and Fiona Stewart.
The book describes legal and moral aspects of suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
and euthanasia and provides how-to instructions for several suicide methods
Suicide methods
A suicide method is any means by which one or more persons purposely kill themselves. Suicide methods can be classified according to two modes of interrupting life processes: physical or chemical. Physical modes of interruption typically act by incapacitating the respiratory system or the central...
. The primary focus of the book is on peaceful (non-violent and painless) suicide methods that can be used by seriously ill and elderly people. To distinguish between suitable and non-suitable methods, Dr. Nitschke introduces the RP (Reliability-Peacefulness) rating. One of the recommended suicide methods involves drinking pentobarbital
Pentobarbital
Pentobarbital is a short-acting barbiturate that was first synthesized in 1928. Pentobarbital is available as both a free acid and a sodium salt, the former of which is only slightly soluble in water and ethanol....
, a drug that Mexican veterinary drug stores sell (illegally) without prescription.
The book was initially banned in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
since it was deemed to be objectionable. The ban in New Zealand was lifted in 2008. The book is banned in Australia, in both printed and, according to WikiLeaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
, online versions. At the same time, the book was freely sold in other countries, in particular by Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
in the US. Since May 2008 it has been allowed for sale in New Zealand if sealed and an indication of the censorship classification was displayed. To circumvent the continuing import ban in Australia, an online for-pay ebook edition was launched in October 2008. The more expensive online edition includes videos and other material, not available with the printed book. The Australian government included the handbook website in its internet filtering plan in 2009. (See Internet censorship in Australia
Internet censorship in Australia
Internet censorship in Australia currently consists of a regulatory regime under which the Australian Communications and Media Authority has the power to enforce content restrictions on Internet content hosted within Australia, and maintain a "black-list" of overseas websites which is then...
).
Nitschke was involved in an argument in the press with the family of a woman suffering from post-natal depression who read the book and took the advice offered about travelling to Mexico. Her drawn-out death caused her family to attack the accuracy of the book's advice. Nitschke responded by saying that there was no way of knowing which drugs the woman actually took and whether the drugs were still potent.
Because there are problems with the "Mexican option" (high cost of travel, high crime rate in Mexico, unreliability of drug availability, counterfeit or expired Nembutal), Nitschke announced, in December 2008, that he now supported the use of a do-it-yourself euthanasia device that relied only on easily available items. Later in 2009 he announced the availability of a testing kit to help people determine if the Nembutal they had bought was still potent.
See also
- Final ExitFinal ExitFinal Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying is a controversial 1992 book by Derek Humphry, founder of the Hemlock Society in California and past president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies....
by Derek HumphryDerek HumphryDerek Humphry is a British-born American journalist, author and principal founder in 1980 of the Hemlock Society USA and past president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, both of which support the notion of decriminalisation of voluntary euthanasia... - The Complete Manual of SuicideThe Complete Manual of Suicideis a Japanese book written by Wataru Tsurumi. It was first published on July 4, 1993 and sold more than one million copies. This 198 page book provides explicit descriptions and analysis on a wide range of suicide methods such as overdosing, hanging, jumping, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Its like...
by Wataru Tsurumi - SuicideSuicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
- Suicide methodsSuicide methodsA suicide method is any means by which one or more persons purposely kill themselves. Suicide methods can be classified according to two modes of interrupting life processes: physical or chemical. Physical modes of interruption typically act by incapacitating the respiratory system or the central...
- Euthanasia deviceEuthanasia deviceA euthanasia device is a machine engineered to allow an individual to die quickly with minimal pain. The most common devices are those designed to help terminally ill people die by voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide without prolonged pain. They may be operated by a second party, such as a...
- Jack KevorkianJack KevorkianJacob "Jack" Kevorkian , commonly known as "Dr. Death", was an American pathologist, euthanasia activist, painter, composer and instrumentalist. He is best known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide; he said he assisted at least 130 patients to...