TIJUANA, Mexico — “Cocaine?” a hustler working Tijuana’s seedy Avenida Revolución called out on a recent night, his voice not the least bit muted.
“How about girls?”
When neither offering elicited the desired response, he tried another: “Cuban cigars?”
He could have continued for quite a bit longer reciting from Tijuana’s extensive menu of contraband. One product from this border town, though, trumps
all others in terms of shock value: death in a bottle, a liquid more potent than even the strongest tequila.
The drug, pentobarbital, literally takes a person’s breath away. It can kill by putting people to sleep, and it is tightly regulated in most
countries. But aging and ailing people seeking a quick and painless way to end their lives say there is no easier place on earth than Mexico to obtain
pentobarbital, a barbiturate commonly known as Nembutal.
Once widely available as a sleep aid, it is now used mostly to anesthetize animals during surgery and to euthanize them. Small bottles of its
concentrated liquid form, enough to kill, can be found not on the shelves of the many discount pharmacies in Tijuana but in its pet shops, which sell
a wide variety of animals, as well as medications and other supplies for them.
“It is Mexico where Nembutal is most readily available,” says “The Peaceful Pill Handbook,” a book that lays out methods to end one’s life. Co-written
by Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, an Australian group that helps people who want to end their lives early, the book is banned in
Australia and New Zealand. In the United States, though, it is only a few mouse clicks away online.
The book, as well as seminars that Mr. Nitschke offers, lays out strategies for dying. The most trouble-free and painless form of suicide, he
contends, is to buy Mexican pentobarbital, which goes by brand names like Sedal-Vet, Sedalphorte and Barbithal.
Those in search of the drug, so-called death tourists, scout out the veterinary pharmacies that abound in Tijuana. The shelves are fully stocked with
tick medication for dogs, vitamins for horses and an array of bottles and boxes that make little sense to anyone but a veterinarian.
Mr. Nitschke’s book, however, provides glossy photos of the many versions of pentobarbital that are most suitable for suicide. Buying pentobarbital
can be as easy as showing the pictures to a clerk and paying as little as $30 for a dose.
Pet shop clerks throughout Tijuana acknowledge that foreigners regularly inquire about the drug. “We’ve probably had 100 people come in asking for the
drug in the last couple years,” said Pepe Velazquez, a veterinarian and owner of El Toro pharmacy.
Until El Norte, a regional newspaper, published an article recently that detailed how easy it was to buy pentobarbital — and how foreigners intended
to use it — many store owners and clerks said they assumed the customers were using the drug to end the lives of their animals.
“We didn’t have any idea what they were doing,” said a sales clerk at a pet shop called California. “It’s for animals. Everything here is for animals.
We thought they were giving it to their animals.”
Once again you are posting the negative and the regulars on this board have made it clear that this board does not want any bad news about the
precious Baja.
Shame on you my friend...jack - 7-21-2008 at 11:55 AM
Interesting reading. I have to keep this info away from my wife, just in case she gets some funny ideas the next time I p*ss her off .vandenberg - 7-21-2008 at 12:08 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by palmeto99
Lee,
Once again you are posting the negative and the regulars on this board have made it clear that this board does not want any bad news about the
precious Baja.
Shame on you my friend...
Well, what do you know.
For once I have to agree with you.
This article has really very little to do with what most of us Nomads expect from our forum. Does belong in one of the California rags, but has no
business here.
And if anyone is interested in looking for the other side, just in case you had the Golden Gate in your plans, you better hurry before they make it
pretty near impossible for a sail through the foggy air down there.
And Lee, just send this gargabe to your friends. After a while you may not have to send very many.
Checking Out ?
MrBillM - 7-21-2008 at 12:18 PM
Generally speaking, I'm always in favor of anything which enables people to commit suicide. Separates the Wheat from the Chaff, so to speak.
It seems like they're wasting a trip, though, if they have a dog.
It's possible to get Phenobarbital prescribed as an anti-seizure medicine for your pet. I have one dog that's been on it for many years now. I
imagine you could do yourself in just fine if you swallowed the whole prescription.
Interestingly, when I attempted to get the Vet in San Felipe to fill it, she said that I'd need a prescription from my U.S. Vet. Probably thought I
was suicidal and lying to her.Skeet/Loreto - 7-21-2008 at 01:17 PM
And to think that stuff is what the Police Officers at the Jails gave to the Drunks when they got the "Trimbles". Sure settled them down real fast
while getting booked for the night.
Skeet/Loreto
And old Fart who has seen a lot of life , made some money, enjoyed Baja Sur and the Sea of Cortez for 38 years, been married to three different Women,
loved them all in a different way, have had 3 Children, 6 Grandchildren, all who also love Baja!!
It is a Family Affair!! Faith Hope and Charity!!gibson - 7-21-2008 at 01:26 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
This article has really very little to do with what most of us Nomads expect from our forum. Does belong in one of the California rags, but has no
business here.
wtf?? who died and anointed you spokeswoman? this is baja (TJ) related. period.
Well, my 2 pesos worth....
CasaManzana - 7-21-2008 at 08:26 PM
...if it's related to Baja, either + or -, it belongs here for all to digest or delete
.
