Inert Gases

When introduced into a closed environment (eg. a plastic bag), inert gases such as nitrogen can provide a peaceful death (and a lawful death) from cerebral hypoxia.

Physiology

By placing oneself into an environment where a) there is not enough oxygen to sustain life and b) carbon dioxide levels are low, a peaceful, reliable, ‘happy hypoxic’ death will result.

A zero oxygen environment can be created using a tasteless, odorless, inert gas like nitrogen.

Although other inert gases, such as helium or argon can be used.

These gases serve no purpose other than to replace the oxygen.

On taking a deep breath of a gas with zero percent oxygen, consciousness is lost almost immediately. Death follows within a few minutes.

Physiology

To ensure the death is peaceful, the concentration of the exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) must be kept low.

It is also important that one can exhale fully (empty lungs), and then inhale fully (filling the lungs with the inert gas) in a single breath.

There are some lung diseases that can make this difficult (eg. emphysema).

In these cases death may take longer. The prolonged time to loss of consciousness (LOC) may cause alarm. For this reason, the method may not be suitable.

A further reduction in the time taken to LOC can be achieved by spending a minute or two inhaling and exhaling deeply before pulling the bag down.

This practice, referred to as hyperventilation, lowers the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, and minimizes bag CO2 levels, reducing any chance of an alarm reaction.

Note – A mechanical blockage to the airways (eg. hanging, or a pillow pressed into one’s face) will not only cause suffocation but a terrifying panic reaction. With an inert gas and exit bag, there is no physical obstruction.