An Ohio lawmaker wants to use a deadly drug that’s been blamed for the opioid crisis in executions of inmates sentenced to death.
Rep. Scott Wiggam, R-Wooster, says he will look to propose legislation to use seized fentanyl to carry out the death penalty.
“We got something here that is likely more humane than any other method that they tried in Ohio,” he said.
Earlier this year, Governor Mike DeWine halted executions, following a scathing critique by a federal judge that raised concerns about the constitutionality of Ohio's current lethal injection system. Gov. DeWine then ordered the Department of Corrections to come up with a new lethal drug protocol.
The state has since run into a roadblock as pharmaceutical companies have refused to sell drugs to the state if their products are used to kill someone on death row.
Rep. Wiggam believes fentanyl could be the solution to the state’s problem.
"We got so much fentanyl on hand already," he said.
Sen. Nickie Antonio, D- Lakewood, who has crafted failed legislation to end the death penalty, calls using the controversial street drug confiscated by law enforcement a terrible idea.
"To me, that's the equivalent to using people as some scientific experiment,” she said.
A spokesperson for Gov. DeWine tells WKYC rep. Wiggam’s idea to use seized fentanyl to execute inmates is “not an option”.
Rep. Wiggam believes it should be.
"If you are arguing fentanyl is cruel and unusual, then you have to be probably in my opinion have to argue all of the death penalty is cruel and unusual,” he said.
He says the issue of the death penalty needs to be discussed, adding he wants to start the conversation. Rep. Wiggam says he will look to officially propose legislation in the state house within next two weeks, but says it could take longer.
Gov. DeWine met with Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina, and House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford earlier this week to look into changing a state law that requires Ohio to only use lethal injection as the method to execute someone, according to Gov. DeWine’s spokesperson.
As of now, there’s no timetable on if and when a legislative proposal for a new, safer method of execution will be introduced.