# Execution by drowning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928 "2009-10-24T01:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/81 "2009-10-26T17:22:01Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Nonono, all prisons that do execution have to dig a deep pit with spikes at the bottom and hire a Leonidas look-alike to yell THIS IS \ and kick them in. > > But seriously, aside from the mess I really do think guillotine is the best option. Either that, or yell “You will … NARFLE THE GARTHOK!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/82 "2009-10-26T18:01:04Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Well, as I said a minute ago I refrained from posting further information about Bernardo upthread so as to avoid a possible hijack of the thread. Still, don’t you think your OP was pretty much answered and played out by then? However, if you still want to keep the thread on topic and regard the current conversation as a hijack or derailment I would certainly honor that request. Nah, post at will. I kind of think the nitrogen idea is better than drowning now, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/83 "2009-10-26T19:22:53Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Not cruel? > > Most reasonable people, IMHO, have decided that merely simulating drowning for a few seconds is cruel. It could be argued any death at all, is cruel. Shooting is the cheapest, most reliable method. $0.50 a bullet. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/84 "2009-10-26T19:41:42Z")
Shove 'em into a helicopter, fly over Arctic/Antarctic, kick 'em out. Wheeeeeeeeee, thud. If the fall don’t kill 'em the cold will, or the polar bears and remember polar bears are an endangered species. Two birds, one stone, right? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/85 "2009-10-26T19:44:36Z")
It costs a lot to fly a helicopter to the Antarctic (no polar bears there anyway), so that’s probably out. Even flying a helicopter in the Arctic is expensive and hard on the equipment, so I don’t really think that’s viable. I still think the hydrogen sulfide thing would work best. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/86 "2009-10-26T19:58:13Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Nah, post at will. I kind of think the nitrogen idea is better than drowning now, anyway. Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/87 "2009-10-26T21:17:26Z")
Now, where was I? Oh, yeah… **Guinastasia**. I never said anything about population density, **Guin**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/88 "2009-10-26T21:32:15Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > It costs a lot to fly a helicopter to the Antarctic (no polar bears there anyway), so that’s probably out. Even flying a helicopter in the Arctic is expensive and hard on the equipment, so I don’t really think that’s viable. > > I still think the hydrogen sulfide thing would work best. > > -XT Well, they do have leopard seals there. Drop them in the water to the seals. Chomp chomp. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/89 "2009-10-26T21:35:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Why can’t they find an IM execution drug cocktail? Any ham handed guard can be taught to give an IM injection. Took me about 5 minutes to learn and about 20 minutes of practice to give myself non-autoinject shots, and 5 minutes and 1 try to do autoinject shots. I think the problem with this is the toxicity of a substance IM vs IV. IM injections will take longer to absorb in to the bloodstream and (possibly?) not mete out a quick death. IV injections into a vein are in the bloodstream already, where they are supposed to work quickly. Also, if you want to inject a large amount of something, it is hard to do it IM and have it absorbed, with an IV, you can inject larger amounts of liquid. IANAD, YMMV, etc. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/90 "2009-10-26T23:54:26Z")
On the one time I was given morphine (in the hospital-I had kidney stones), it seemed like I was falling asleep. An overdose ought to be a painless way to go. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/91 "2009-10-26T23:56:51Z")
> [@Minnie\_Luna](#): > > I think the problem with this is the toxicity of a substance IM vs IV. IM injections will take longer to absorb in to the bloodstream and (possibly?) not mete out a quick death. IV injections into a vein are in the bloodstream already, where they are supposed to work quickly. Also, if you want to inject a large amount of something, it is hard to do it IM and have it absorbed, with an IV, you can inject larger amounts of liquid. IANAD, YMMV, etc. hm. Curare? Tetrodotoxin? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/92 "2009-10-26T23:59:26Z")
I’m another vote for gassing them with nitrogen. The stuff is cheap, right? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/93 "2009-10-27T00:38:10Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Now, where was I? > > Oh, yeah… **Guinastasia**. > > I never said anything about population density, **Guin**. 😉 > [@](#): > > The non-death-penalty states are **largely sparsely populated** northern states that traditionally have very little crime to begin with Dude, just quite while you’re ahead, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/94 "2009-10-27T01:58:25Z")
You know what, you’re right. :eek: I didn’t mean to make it an issue of population density exclusively, but that’s what I did and I haven’t been able to come up with a way to parse it into what I meant to say. So, point to you. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/95 "2009-10-27T02:00:19Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > You know what, you’re right. :eek: > > I didn’t mean to make it an issue of population density exclusively, but that’s what I did and I haven’t been able to come up with a way to parse it into what I meant to say. > > So, point to you. Thank you. Now, can we get back on topic? We’re trying to think of the most PAINLESS method of execution, not a way to avenge someone, okay? Just a discussion. IIRC, haven’t most innovations in execution methods been proposed because they were supposed to be more humane? The “long drop” hanging, the electric chair, lethal injection, etc? Each was supposed to be an improvement over the last. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/96 "2009-10-27T02:08:50Z")
Sure, as long as you’re willing to grant that the reasons Maine, Vermont and Massechusetts have lower murder rates than California, Texas and Mississippi is very likely not because they don’t have the death penalty and the others do. After all, that’s what the discussion was about when the question of population density became an issue. ETA: Plus, the OP granted me permission to talk about this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/97 "2009-10-27T02:23:48Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Sure, as long as you’re willing to grant that the reasons Maine, Vermont and Massechusetts have lower murder rates than California, Texas and Mississippi is very likely not because they don’t have the death penalty and the others do. On the other hand, you have been unable to offer any evidence that having a death penalty reduces the murder rate in states that have it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/98 "2009-10-27T02:46:18Z")
Sure I did. See post #49. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/99 "2009-10-27T02:49:35Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Sure I did. See post #49. That post is devoid of anything resembling evidence for your claim. It is nothing more than your personal opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/100 "2009-10-27T03:20:50Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > On the one time I was given morphine (in the hospital-I had kidney stones), it seemed like I was falling asleep. > An overdose ought to be a painless way to go. This is what I’ve never understood. Why is it we can put dogs to sleep easily and effortlessy but cannot seem to do the same to a human? I’ve never heard of a dog having to go back home with his master because they couldn’t find a vein or a dog who howled in pain because the injection went wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928.md?page=6)