''The Peaceful Pill Handbook'' is a book setting out information on
assisted suicide and
voluntary euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia (VE) is the ending of a person's life at their request in order to relieve them of suffering. Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have been the focus of intense debate in recent years.
Some forms of ...
. Written by the Australian doctor
Philip Nitschke
Philip Haig Nitschke (; born 8 August 1947) is an Australian humanist, author, former physician, and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group EXIT (Australia), Exit International. He campaigned successfully to have a legal euthanasia la ...
and lawyer
Fiona Stewart, it was originally published in the U.S. in 2006. A
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
edition of the print book—''Die Friedliche Pille''—was published in 2011. A
French edition—''La Pilule Paisible''—was published in June 2015.
In 2008, the online handbook—''The Peaceful Pill eHandbook''—was launched, containing video clips on assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia methods and related issues, but it does not provide "how-to" instructions. The eHandbook is updated bimonthly.
Content
The book is primarily intended for
seniors, people who are seriously ill, and their families and friends. It is also a resource guide for those working in
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
and
elderly care
Elderly care, or simply eldercare (also known in parts of the English-speaking world as aged care), serves the needs and requirements of senior citizens. It encompasses assisted living, adult daycare, long-term care, nursing homes (often call ...
. The book rates more than a dozen methods of euthanasia according to reliability and peacefulness scales.
Strategies covered by the books include: the use of gases such as
nitrogen
Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...
,
poisons such as
carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simple ...
, prescription drugs such as
insulin and the
opiates, and former
prescription drugs such as the
barbiturates. The book details lawful means of obtaining and administering the drugs, and other peripheral issues such as drug storage,
shelf life
Shelf life is the length of time that a commodity may be stored without becoming unfit for use, consumption, or sale. In other words, it might refer to whether a commodity should no longer be on a pantry shelf (unfit for use), or no longer on a ...
and disposal. The
Swiss assisted suicide services are also covered in detail, as are issues such as the writing of
wills,
advance directives
An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no ...
, and issues of determining decision-making capacity.
One of the more controversial aspects of the book is its coverage of the Internet as a source of drugs. To this end, the authors publish a regular
neighbourhood watch
Neighbourhood Watch in the United Kingdom is the largest voluntary crime prevention movement covering England and Wales with upwards of 2.3 million household members. The charity brings neighbors together to create strong, friendly and active comm ...
that warns about Internet
scammers
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have de ...
and
fraudulent websites.
Reception
Although restricted in New Zealand and Australia, the book is available without restriction on
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential econo ...
, Amazon.co.uk, and from the Peacefulpillstore.com website.
Australia
While the book was initially granted an 18+ rating in
Australia, this was overturned on appeal from the
Australian Attorney-General. In early 2007, the publication was refused classification (RC) by the
Classification Board. In 2009, the Australian government included the handbook website in its
internet filtering plan known as the Clean Feed.
New Zealand
In 2008, the
Society for Promotion of Community Standards
The Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc. ("SPCS") is a conservative lobby group in New Zealand. A registered charity and incorporated society, the Society has taken a strong pro-censorship stance and clashed many times with the Office ...
objected to the book’s publication. This led to its banning in New Zealand on the grounds that it was an objectionable publication. A short time later, the book was republished in redacted form and is available only if sealed, and an indication of the censorship classification is displayed.
See also
* ''
Final Exit
''Final Exit'' (fully titled ''Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying'') is a 1991 book written by Derek Humphry, a British-born American journalist, author, and assisted suicide advocate who co-f ...
'' by
Derek Humphry
Derek Humphry (born 29 April 1930) is a British-born American journalist and author notable as a proponent of legal assisted suicide and the right to die. In 1980, he co-founded the Hemlock Society and, in 2004, after that organization dissolv ...
* ''
The Complete Manual of Suicide'' by Wataru Tsurumi
*
Suicide
*
Suicide methods
*
Euthanasia device
A euthanasia device is a machine engineered to allow an individual to die quickly with minimal pain. The most common devices are those designed to help terminally ill people die by voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide without prolonged pain. ...
*
Jack Kevorkian
Murad Jacob "Jack" Kevorkian (May 26, 1928 – June 3, 2011) was an American pathologist and euthanasia proponent. He publicly championed a terminal patient's right to die by physician-assisted suicide, embodied in his quote, "Dying is n ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peaceful Pill Handbook, The
2006 non-fiction books
Suicide methods
Self-help books
Euthanasia
Books about suicide
Censored books
Peaceful Pill Handbook