Suicide by mail

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Dr Philip Nitschke, Australia's Dr. Death, has once again proven that he is not concerned whether or not a person is terminally ill, he is not concerned whether or not a person is depressed or otherwise vulnerable, he is only concerned with promoting suicide.

A recent article published in The Australian on March 14, 2009 and written by Julie-Anne Davies is entitled: Suicide drug of choice in mail

It appears that Nitschke found a source for the illegal lethal veterinary drugs from a Mexican supplier who is willing (for a price) to ship by mail order to desperate followers of Nitschke. Nitschke was so confident of his source that he put the information in his "Peaceful Pill" book.

The Australian authorities are right to try to stop the import of the lethal veterinary drug, used to euthanize animals. Nitschke is busy operating a suicide counseling service whereby he is encouraging people to commit suicide and he is helping people plan their suicide.

The article states:

The buyers had learnt about his service from euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke's latest version of his banned book, The Peaceful Pill Handbook, published by Exit International.

Dr Nitschke said he did not expect the mail order option to last for long. "We heard about this guy who's down south of Mexico and we decided to tell people about him in our latest book because he seemed to be offering a reliable service and a good product," he said.

"But it won't last once word gets out."

Assisted Suicide must remain illegal. Out-of-control death gurus such as Nitschke will continue his "ministry" so long as nobody shuts him down. At least the Australian authorities are trying to limit his influence by keeping a watch on his activities.

The article states:

Dr Nitschke's book, The Peaceful Pill Handbook -- the title of which uses a euphemism for a veterinary drug -- was banned in Australia after a special federal law was passed in 2005 making it a crime to use a telephone, fax, email or the internet to discuss or research assisted suicide.

That offence carries a $110,000 fine. An Australian Federal Police spokesperson said no one had been charged with downloading Dr Nitschke's book.

Importing the veterinary drug into Australia carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' imprisonment or a $550,000 fine.

Notice the amount of money the Mexican veterinary supply shop that sells the drug who are willing to cash in on the desperation of people who are being counseled by Nitschke to commit suicide.

The article states:

"I have sent to Australia, like, eight times with success; the Customs have never stopped any of my ships," Gerardo Aviles Navarro said in an email from Mexico. "I'm very serious; the reason of Exit International to make public my email direction is because they know my seriousness."

One bottle of the drug costs $US350 or $US450 for two bottles, he said.

Nitschke has also been accused by families of taking advantage of people when they were emotionally down. The case of Erin Berg the 39 year old mother of four is a prime example of his lack of concern for people who are emotionally unstable. It was reported at the time that Berg was undergoing psychiatric treatment.

The article states:

The botched suicide of Australian woman Erin Berg in Tijuana, which was revealed in The Australian last year, is blamed for this. The 39-year-old mother of four died in a Mexican hospital a fortnight after drinking a veterinary drug in a Tijuana hotel room.

Her sisters blamed Dr Nitschke in part for their sister's death, after finding she had underlined passages in his first book Killing Me Softly relating to the veterinary drug and obtaining it in Mexico.

My previous blog posting on the Berg family concerns:
http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2008/08/grieving-family-wants-suicide-book.html

Link to the article in The Australian:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25184478-5013404,00.html

In case you are thinking that legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide would put people like Nitschke out of business, think again. The leading Dutch "Right to Die" organization has decided that their new goal is the legalization of the "Last Will Pill." They are a mainstream right to die group and once again they are not concerned about the vulnerability of people at the most difficult time of their life.

Finally, let's be brutally honest. Legalizing assisted suicide is not going to put Nitscke out of business, but rather give them credibility.

If assisted suicide becomes legal, you will find out that your mother died but you won't know that your sister pressured her, a sister who may have selfish motivs. If it is legal you will be told she wanted to die, and its legal. It won't matter whether the doctor is like Nitschke, or that your sister pressured her, your mother will be dead.