April 19, 2026

Ken Law – Saint or Sinner?

Hello everyone,

Sorry to get biblical on you all regarding my question of whether Ken Law is a saint or a sinner but let me explain.

As an atheist it’s not my normal thing to resort to scripture, but it does seem apt in the case of Canadian, Ken Law.

For those who have not been following the Ken Law – Sodium Nitrite – Controversy, Ken Law is the guy who was caught (courtesy of a sting operation by The Times (UK)) selling mail-order sodium nitrite to people around the world.

Unfortunately, some of Ken’s customers were teenagers who went on to use the salt to die. This is the ‘sinner’ bit. This is how the case became so political.

Of course, I get it that the parents of the young people who died are heartbroken. As a parent myself it is only natural.

I understand that these people may feel that they have failed as parents, failed to keep their kids safe (from themselves). And maybe they did, but that is not our focus for the purpose of this Blog.

What is our concern is the way in which Ken Law has been treated by the law in the aftermath of his arrest back in 2023.

A former Chef (amongst other things), Ken Law knew about and knew how to access sodium nitrite. He was also aware of its lethality. Perhaps from Exit’s 2017 Toronto workshop or the controversial online suicide forums or perhaps from the Peaceful Pill Handbook.

Either way, he saw a business opening, or so he thought.

No one knows if Ken was in it for the money (he made very little money all things being equal) or because he thought he could genuinely help people.

And Ken did genuinely help lots of folk, especially elderly people.

And this is the ‘saint’ bit.

Ken did not only sell sodium nitrite to teenagers. It seems he sold it to anyone who placed an order.

This means he sold it to countless older people all over the world: people who want something in the cupboard as an insurance policy for the future (‘in case things turn bad’).

Everyone has their own individual bench mark of what ‘things turning bad’ can mean.

For some it’s when they can’t wipe their own bum. For others, it is when they can no longer live in their own home.

There is no doubt that having ‘something’ in the cupboard – be that sodium nitrite or Nembutal or a Kairos Kollar – the act of having choice allows one to be back in control.

Control means we stop worrying and get on with living our best lives.

Dropping the Murder Charges

This week, it was announced that Ken would enter a plea of  guilty to 14 counts of assisting a suicide. In return the Canadian prosecutor was dropping the hitherto 14 charges of murder.

It was always problematic as to why Ken was to be charged with murder.

‘All’ he did was sell these people nitrite.

He was not there when they took it. He did not use force to force them to take it. Indeed, presumably in many cases, he did not even know if they would take it or when they did take it.

Ken was at arm’s length from these peoples’ suicides.

How the prosecutor thought the murder charges would stick is anyone’s guess.

But the Ken Law case does reinforce this important point.

The moment one person provides another person with the actual means of dying the law will act swiftly.

Yes, there are grey areas when it comes to assisted suicide, eg. is being with someone when they die ‘assisting’? Who knows?

What is clear is that providing the means (eg. selling them sodium nitrite) = assisting. And assisting a suicide can bring with it savage legal penalties.

Interestingly, assisting a suicide is the only case in law where helping someone to do something which is lawful is unlawful.

Suicide is lawful. Assisting a suicide is unlawful.

Media reports say that Ken will formally enter his guilty plea at a later date.

What remains after this will be a truckload of victim-impact statements from the families of those who died and then, finally, Ken’s sentencing.

Exit wonders if Ken will get fairness in the legal process that is to follow?

To the parents of the young people who died following their purchase and use of sodium nitrite, Ken Law is the devil incarnate.

To the many older people who now have sodium nitrite in the cupboard ‘just in case’ Ken is a hero.

You decide!

Philip

Philip Nitschke