By: Emma Davila, Global and Public Health Sciences ‘26
Nitrogen gas is a substance commonly known by many, as it makes up 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere and is the most abundant pure element on Earth. On January 25, 2024, this gas was used for the first time in history as a form of capital punishment on inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith in Alabama [1]. The process has been critiqued as cruel by the United Nations, but the state of Alabama stands by its claim that it is humane [1]. It is crucial to be informed about and thoroughly evaluate medical procedures like capital punishment in order to stay educated about important changes in the life sciences and the justice system.
There are various reasons why prison systems have been looking into nitrogen hypoxia as a new form of punishment for death row inmates. Lethal injections have become increasingly difficult, and critics have begun to question how humane they are. Further, the drugs used in the injections are often hard to obtain because many pharmaceutical companies do not allow the use of their products for death row[2]. Furthermore, veins often cannot be located properly in the individual, and the injections then fail. In fact, inmate Kenneth Smith had survived a lethal injection before his execution from nitrogen hypoxia in January [1].
Nitrogen gas works in high concentrations, like when inhaled through a gas mask, by essentially replacing all of the oxygen in the body [1]. When nitrogen gas is found in open, large outdoor environments, it does not pose a risk to human health [3]. However, when it is found in large concentrations in a small enclosed space, it essentially disables the human respiratory system, leading to the suffocation of the individual [1]. Even when nitrogen is mixed with oxygen as nitrogen oxide, it can still have damaging effects to the human body. For example, when children are exposed to nitrogen oxide through household gas stoves, they are more likely to develop respiratory illness and develop asthma later in life [4]. Further, nitrogen gas is considered to be especially dangerous to the public because of its odorless and colorless nature making accidental deaths especially likely to occur [2].
Although nitrogen hypoxia came about as a replacement for the inhumane nature of lethal
injections, many critics stand against the cruel nature of nitrogen gas itself. Because its usage in January 2024 was the first ever recorded of its kind in the world, some perceived Smith’s case as a “human trial” or “experiment” [1]. Additionally, The inhalation of nitrogen gas can cause dizziness and nausea, so critics also claim that nitrogen hypoxia could lead to vomiting and choking, making it a prolonged and risky process [3]. Nitrogen hypoxia has also been used in assisted suicides in Europe, but officials in Alabama used a different method, which was seen as less safe and with significantly less supporting evidence than the methods used in Europe [1]. Alabama officials claimed that nitrogen hypoxia is more humane because of the rapid loss of consciousness it causes, however critics have highlighted that Smith remained awake for several minutes after beginning to inhale the gas [5].
While some officials in Alabama continue to defend the ethical and humane nature of nitrogen hypoxia, the controversy and debate surrounding the topic will likely continue as groups including human rights activists, the United Nations, and experts in the life sciences discuss the potential health risks and complications of such a procedure. As developments like these continue to be made, it is especially essential for young individuals moving into fields such as medicine, research, and public health to stay educated about the different ways advancements in the life sciences are being used and how they are influencing their greater community.
References
[1] Kenneth Eugene Smith: Alabama carries out first nitrogen gas execution. (2024, January 26). Www.bbc.com. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68085513
[2] Morrow, K. M. (2019). EXECUTION BY NITROGEN HYPOXIA: SEARCH FOR SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS. Jurimetrics, 59(4), 457–486. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27009998
[3] Lo Faro, A. F., Pirani, F., Paratore, A., Tagliabracci, A., & Busardò, F. P. (2019). Fatal inhalation of nitrogen inside a closed environment: Toxicological issues about the cause of death. Forensic science international, 302, 109871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.06.029
[4] Garrett, M. H., Hooper, M. A., Hooper, B. M., & Abramson, M. J. (1998). Respiratory symptoms in children and indoor exposure to nitrogen dioxide and gas stoves. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 158(3), 891–895. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.158.3.9701084
[5] Hoffman, J. (2024, January 25). Nitrogen Hypoxia: What to Know About This New Method of Execution. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/health/what-is-nitrogen-hypoxia.html
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