Oklahoma death penalty: state to use nitrogen gas for executions

The officials of the US State Oklahoma have announced to use nitrogen gas as a preferred method of execution, when it resumes using the death penalty, making it the first US state to do so.

The state attorney general, Mike Hunter, and corrections department director, Joe Allbaugh, jointly announced the plan, reported the Guardian.

Oklahoma and other states haven't been able to get the drugs required for lethal injections amid opposition from drugmakers to having their products used in executions.

Hunter and Allbaugh made an announcement that the state will move forward with executions by the method of "inert gas inhalation."

Hunter said, "We can no longer sit on the sidelines and wait for the drugs. Using nitrogen will be effective, simple to administer, easy to obtain and requires no complex medical procedures."

Authorities will work together over the coming months to develop new protocols, the two men added.

According to the reports, Oklahoma has had one of the busiest death chambers in the US, but hasn't carried out an execution since 2015 after a series of mishaps.

However, it is unclear as to when the executions will resume.