An assisted suicide advocacy group in Switzerland is preparing for the first use of its controversial portable “suicide pods” within the coming months, marking the latest development in the debate over the morally dubious subject of medical assistance in dying. The 3D-printed pods, nicknamed the “Tesla of euthanasia,” reportedly offer users a painless death via nitrogen hypoxia in under 10 minutes—and all for the low price of $20.
The design for the Sarco (short for “sarcophagus”) pods was first unveiled at the Venice Design Festival in 2019, with Switzerland’s Last Resort organization seeing no legal objection to its use. Switzerland generally allows assisted suicides provided that the terminal patient commits the lethal act themselves. However, Article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code promises jail time for those who assist with a suicide for “selfish motives.”
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According to the group, the Sarco pod’s process of quickly replacing oxygen with nitrogen will induce unconsciousness within one minute, granting the occupant a “peaceful, even euphoric” death soon after. This system, activated by the users themselves, reduces dependence on doctors and advocacy groups. The person wishing to die must also pass a psychiatric assessment before entering the pod.
However, should a user change their mind at the last minute, they will be unable to stop the process. “Once you press that button, there’s no way of going back,” said Sarco inventor Philip Nitschke, a leading global figure in right-to-die activism.
When the process is completed, the pod, which is made of biodegradable materials, doubles as a coffin. The $20 (18 Swiss francs) payment will cover the cost of the nitrogen.
Swiss lawmakers have countered by arguing that “there is no reliable information about the method of killing” and that “[it is] completely unclear who has control over which mechanical process during the dying process.”
Notably, nitrogen hypoxia was adopted as an execution method in the state of Alabama in January of this year. Convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith became the first person in the world to be executed with this particular method, and witnesses to the process indicated that Smith seemed to be awake and in considerable pain for several minutes before dying.
A 2022 review from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that if a device like a Sarco pod malfunctioned during use, the patient would not be rendered unconscious, likely leading to a painful death.
The first death via Sarco pod will take place “soon,” according to Last Resort, but details about the date and location, as well as the person entering the suicide pod, will be withheld until after the process is carried out.
“We really don’t want a person’s desire for a peaceful passing in Switzerland to turn into a media circus,” said lawyer Fiona Stewart, who is on The Last Resort’s advisory board.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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