On July 20, a 28-year-old man in the Netherlands was arrested for trafficking suicide powder. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, at least six suicides are linked to the man. The Justice Department suspects the drug was provided to hundreds of people. Research should show how many people actually took the drug and how many people died from it.
The criminal investigation started after the death of a woman in May 2021. A suspicious substance and data carriers were found with her, which led the investigation team to the 28-year-old man. An investigation was then launched into the question of whether the suspect provided the substance to more than one person. The suspect sold the drug from November 2018 to June 2021, justice says.
The suspect was a member of Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW): a Dutch Right to Die Society that advocates for self-determination when it comes to dying. “I understand that he acted in a peaceful manner,” says Jos van Wijk, chairman of CLW about the man.
“His trade shows that people want this stuff,” says Van Wijk. But he is disagreed with the way S. proceeded. „I do not think that anyone should simply function as a pick-up address.” Van Wijk believes that anyone who wants to die should be allowed to die. He believes it is important that people are properly instructed about safety use of the suicide drug, which is referred to as ‘agent X’ by, among others, CLW mentioned, and that conversations are held in advance with the person who has a death wish.
Derek Humphry adds note: I believe the substance was sodium nitrite. Assisted dying in the Netherlands is only lawful when done by doctors.
