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Louisiana “out of the execution medication business” due to efforts of pharmaceutical industry

By November 25, 2022 No Comments

In March 2022, state officials in Louisiana said that they are unwilling to use manufactured medicines in lethal injection executions.

Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc testified in court that the state does not want to jeopardize healthcare or risk the prison population by underhandedly purchasing drugs for executions. To support this decision, Secretary LeBlanc pointed to letters sent by pharmaceutical manufacturers stating their opposition to the misuse of their medicines in executions.

State officials now consider themselves “out of the execution medication business.” This announcement highlights the efficacy of companies’ distribution controls and the value of communications to state officials in protecting medicines from misuse.