INERT GASES (Death by Asphyxia, Most Humane way To Die) 
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        Inert or Noble gas is any of a group of rare gases that exhibit 
great stability and extremely low reaction rates. Death by inert gases is a 
form of asphyxiation, but it is particularly interesting since people don't 
experience the lack of oxygen. What people may experience is the excess of 
carbon dioxide. Inert gas is gas that does not react with the substances
coming in contact with it.
 
        Many gases that are more-or-less non-toxic can cause asphyxia by
replacing oxygen from the breathing mixture. Some common ones include
methane, butane, propane, neon, freon, xenon, argon (ar), 
krypton, radon (radioactive heaviest of inert gases), acetylene, 
carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, liquified petroleum gas (LPG).
As a result, they are dangerous in enclosed areas and gas mask will not help, 
but otherwise they are safe. People start showing signs of asphyxia (losing
consciousness) when the concentration of these gases is at around 30%, 
severe symptoms at around 50%, death at around 75%. Inert gas death penalty
should not be considered as form of cruel and unusual punishment, but some
opponents will always claim death penalty in itself is cruel and unusual, how ignorant.

        In the above list, argon, butane, carbon dioxide, freons, and LPG gas
are heavier than oxygen, and may displace it from the bottom of closed spaces; 
it may even happen in open spaces that are protected from wind.

        Tunnels that are open only through manhole covers occasionally contain
lethal concentrations of carbon dioxide. Someone entering such a
location unknowingly would become unconscious within a couple of
minutes - perhaps within seconds and dead after five to ten
minutes. A standard gas mask is useless under these circumstances;
supplemental oxygen is necessary. In experiments, animals (dogs, cats, 
rabbits, mink, chickens) show little or no evidence of distress from inert gas 
asphyxia, become unconscious after 1-2 minutes, and die after about 4-6 minutes. 

        A tragic, mass asphyxia occurred near Lake Nyos in Cameroon, 
in August 1986. A large amount of cold, dissolved carbon dioxide which exists 
in the bottom layers of volcanic waters. Probably as a result 
of turbulence from a mudslide, this carbon dioxide-rich water rose. 
As a result, the pressure above the surface decreased. It outcome was
like opening a soft drink bottle; bubbles of carbon dioxide gas entered into
the atmosphere.

        People living in the valley below were engulfed by an invisible wave
of carbon dioxide gas which being heavier than oxygen, displaced it.
There was no warning. Everything that needed oxygen died within
minutes: human beings, domestic and wild animals, even insects. Birds
that were on the ground or flew too low perished. People dropped like
flies (so did the flies) in the midst of whatever they were doing. The
human death toll was over 1700.

                Death by Different Inert Gases:
               ---------------------------------

        For the purpose of suicide, carbon dioxide would be an
unpleasant choice, since its presence stimulates both breathing
reflexes and the sensation of smothering.

        The hydrocarbons methane, butane, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), and
propane, while readily available as fuel gases, are normally mixed
with bad-smelling "warning" gases (mercaptans), related to skunk scents.
        Acetylene is used for gas welding and is easy to acquire, but contains
somewhat-toxic acetone. It's not wise to make own acetylene from
calcium carbide because it contains an ammonia-like contaminant, phosphine (PH3).

        Freons are bad for the ozone layer and so is neon & it's expensive.
Hydrogen is flammable (remember the Hindenberg) and raises the pitch of voice just like H.
The remaining gases, argon, helium, and nitrogen, are best gases
in this category. They are all tasteless, odorless, non-irritating,
and under these conditions, chemically and physiologically inert. In
fact, nitrogen comprises 78 percent and argon is 1 percent (.934) of
sea-level air, 21 % is oxygen. Other gases are present on microscopic levels:
Carbon Monoxide 0.3%, Neon, Argon 0.934%, Krypton, Hydrogen, Helium 0.5%. 
While a roughly 90 percent helium and 10 percent oxygen mix 
(precise ratio depends on dive depth) is used for deep-water 
diving (to avoid the intoxicating coma effects of high pressure nitrogen, 
called "nitrogen narcosis" or, more poetically, "rapture of the deep"), in a similar 
fashion death comes from inert gas. Nitrogen is cost effective. 
Lighter than air: Helium is 7 times lighter than air, carbon monoxide is 3%, Nitrogen is 1.8%.
Inert Gas Gravity: 1.251 grams per liter, Helium 0.178, Oxygen 0.129, Argon 0.967. 
Inert Gas Cost $: Nitrogen 2.4/m3, Argon 10.5$/m3, Helium 13.1/m3.

        Since these inert gases are not poisonous and lungs have
something to inhale, such asphyxias will be minimally traumatic. That
is, they will not cause fealings of suffocation (which are due mostly
to carbon dioxide buildup, rather than lack of oxygen) or hemorrhages
(caused by high blood pressure from blocked jugular vein or struggling
to breathe against a closed airway). Thus Nitrogen, Helium, Argon asphyxiation
is great method of execution. Asphyxians, especially the ones mentioned above
are cheap mediums and nobody gets hurt (except the condemned), another benefit
to inert gas execution is that the executed subject can even donate his/her 
organs to those in need. Nitrogen is pretty cheap, Nitrogen generators are 
available everywhere. it is univerally available working medium that pretty 
much requires no special enviromental precautions for its storage or disposal.
It simply disperses into air; most importantly,
the subject dies (more or less) peacefully and is no more. 
 
        Most medical use of inert gases is for animal euthanasia, however
there have been human fatalities from them, too. For example, face
masks were mistakenly hooked up to inert gas (generally nitrogen)
cylinders instead of to oxygen at least ten times during the 1980s in
the U.S. The fact that these people died without attracting attention
is consistent with non-traumatic death. 
        Nitrogen gas dosage: Several liters uncompressed minimum
Time: 5 Minutes (approx) Used by plumbers, for welding.
Death Certainty: Certain; Some say Nitrogen feals cold, so what?!
It's my understanding coldness is not an issue with inert gases.

        Argon is commonly used for inert-gas electric welding and helium for
balloons. Nitrogen has a variety of uses and may be purchased either
as a gas or as a cold (-196 deg C; -321 deg F) liquid. All of these
are available from industrial gas suppliers. Helium can also be found
at party-supply stores. (they are mixed with some air) None of these
gases are dangerous unless they displace oxygen from the breathing area.
Argon is 25% heavier than air, it's dangerous in closed areas.

        Probably the easiest way to use inert gases for suicide is to enter a
tube tent with a gas cylinder, flush the tent with any of the three
gases, and seal the ends of the tube. The volume of a tent is such
that you won't produce enough carbon dioxide to stimulate breathing
reflexes before dying. Since there's little or no residual oxygen in
the breathing mixture, minimal amounts of carbon dioxide ought to be
exhaled, suggesting that a large inert-gas-filled plastic bag over the
head should work as well as the tube tent.
        Only slightly more complicated is hooking up a gas delivery mask
(available at military surplus or medical supply stores) to a cylinder
of compressed inert gas. This may, in fact, be the easiest method if
you're using supplemental oxygen, and have a gas delivery system already in place.
        The main hazard of this (and all) asphyxia is the possibility of brain
damage if the process is interrupted due to intervention, running out
of gas, or tearing or removing the gas mask, plastic bag or tube tent
while unconscious. This can be minimized by using a high concentration
of the anoxic gas, which causes most rapid loss of consciousness.
These gases are not a danger to others in anything but a small, sealed
space; however it's important that a gas cylinder not be mis-labeled,
or it may imperil subsequent users.

        Thus, use of any of these three gases, combined with a plastic bag,
should be less traumatic than plastic bag asphyxia alone, since there
will be little or no discomfort from carbon dioxide buildup and
unconsciousness and death will be swift (depends which inert gas is used).
Pentobarbital pill would be the next best thing when it comes to humane execution.
If injection is used, it could be messy. Sometimes it's hard to find a vein or
a vein is missed, blood messes up the whole place or execution goes wrong some other 
way, then you have to find a qualified person who has permission to do injections, etc...

         This article is only for educational purposes on euthanasia, 
to improve the wrong & botched approach towards legally executing people.
This article does not encourage euthanasia or suicide.
        Euthanasia, suicide are only acceptable (morally or otherwise)
if an individual is truly and fully sick and if he/she has less than 6 months 
to live. Living through another day is a blessing and a gift people need to respect.
Be careful when you deal with machinery of death!

        Copyright: 2005-7 by Death Penalty Improvement Group - L.J.
                If you use this article, give credit where credit is due!

 This article can be read via this direct link:
Geocities.com/jp2pope518/Inert More on death penalty: Geocities.com/jp2pope518/Execute
 
                The air we breath, what else is there ?

        The atmosphere begins at sea level and its first layer, the troposphere 
extends from 8 to 16km from earth's surface. The air in the troposphere consists
of the following proportions of gases: 78% is nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon,
0.03% carbon dioxide, 0.07% mixture of hydrogen, helium, krypton, xenon.
All are odorless, tasteless, colorless.

More on inert gases, proper humane execution:
geocities.com/jp2day518/execute
 
By: Jan L. Lary

        Nitrogen is used to prevent corrosions in metal chambers.
Nitrogen first stops brain function, brain stops breathing, then the heart stops.
If the dying person gets Oxygen, he may revive but his brain most likely be dead
& he will spend rest of his life in vegetative state. That's one important
thing Nitrogen Asphyxiation proponents never mention.