# General anesthetic prior to death sentence?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-anesthetic-prior-to-death-sentence/687403>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 30, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-anesthetic-prior-to-death-sentence/687403 "2014-04-30T22:59:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-anesthetic-prior-to-death-sentence/687403/5 "2014-05-01T00:09:36Z")

</div>

In [the current GD thread wherein many lament the ‘suffering’ of the late Clayton Lockett](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=722235) ostensibly caused by his “botched” execution, I posted the following which I think is apropos to this thread:

> [@Will Clayton Locketts Torture be the Rosa Parks moment of the Campaign against judicial killing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-clayton-locketts-torture-be-the-rosa-parks-moment-of-the-campaign-against-judicial-killing/687339/67):
>
> Speaking as a physician, and strictly in a technical sense\*, I simply do not understand the problem that the states have in executing someone painlessly.
> 
> Every day thousands upon thousands of people have general anesthesia and are put to sleep quickly and without causing them _any_ agitation, discomfort, etc.
> 
> I, myself, have had general anesthetics over a dozen times (a long story) and each time, upon awakening, I was struck with how sudden and decisive my loss of consciousness (had been).
> 
> Bottom line is that the executioners should simply follow a ‘typical’ recipe used by anaesthetists (but with a change in dose).
> 
> And, please note, by definition the drugs constituting the above recipes’ ingredients are widely available.
> 
> \*i.e. I am not necessarily ‘for’ or ‘against’ capital punishment

With the above in mind, let me ask the good doctor **Qad** (or anyone else who knows the answer)- in the US, are physicians forbidden by their various professional organizations from participating in executions? And, if ‘anesthesia assistants’ (or whatever they’re called) are used in the US, could they not do the job?

Is it really the case that finding someone qualified to administer IV drugs is difficult, or is that most qualified personnel are prohibited from doing so?

Thanks!

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-anesthetic-prior-to-death-sentence/687403)._