Idaho’s Procurement of Lethal Injection Drugs for Execution Comes at a Cost to Taxpayers: Here’s the Price

The cost of drugs needed for lethal injections in Idaho has tripled since the state last carried out an execution over a decade ago. According to a purchase order obtained by the Idaho Statesman, the Idaho Department of Correction paid $50,000 for 15 grams of pentobarbital, the drug chosen for the planned execution of death row inmate Thomas Creech. This is the first time that state prison officials have disclosed which drug they acquired for an execution. The price increase highlights the difficulties faced by prisons in obtaining the drugs needed for lethal injections, as manufacturers and suppliers are reluctant to be associated with executions due to public backlash. Idaho passed a shield law last year to protect the identity of potential drug suppliers, but officials still struggled to acquire the necessary drugs. As a result, the state recently passed a law allowing for the use of a firing squad if lethal injection drugs are unavailable.