KEY POINTS:
Voluntary euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke held a workshop in Wellington today on suicide options, including trips to Mexico to buy suicide drugs.
The controversial Australian campaigner, who is sometimes referred to as "Dr Death", said the aim of the workshop was to bring New Zealanders up to date with changing developments and focused on three options.
The first was the "Swiss option", he said.
"People can legally go to Switzerland and get help to die. We're giving people in New Zealand an idea of what's required," Dr Nitschke told NZPA.
Another option was the use of helium and a plastic bag, and the workshop aimed to dispel misinformation about this method.
The third option was travelling to Mexico to obtain the suicide drug nembutal, which people were very interested in despite some adverse reports in the media, he said.
The workshop dealt with what was involved and how people could take that course of action.
Earlier this month the Ministry of Health issued a statement saying anyone bringing the drug into New Zealand, either directly or via the mail system, would have it detained at Customs.
The drug is rated Class C and would be seized and held until a local registered medical practitioner issued a prescription for it, the ministry said.
Dr Nitschke said all three options discussed at today's meeting were areas where there had been significant changes in the past year.
As it has been about a year since his last New Zealand seminars it was important to ensure people had up-to-date information.
His trip to New Zealand also included a workshop in Auckland and the local launch of his book The Peaceful Pill Handbook.
While in Wellington Dr Nitschke planned to visit chief censor Bill Hastings to give him a copy of the book so it could be reviewed by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
The New Zealand Medical Council has in the past complained to the Health Ministry about Dr Nitschke visiting and holding workshops here and has again voiced concerns about his visit.
- NZPA
