Barbiturates are a common drug used especially for such things as execution of physician assisted suicide. Barbituates are a wide class of drugs called CNS depressants, which depress nervous system function. Barbituates have been used and are currently used today to treat some insomnia, seizures, pain, or as use in anesthesia. While there are still such uses today most countries have recognized the overdose toxicity, its illicit drug properties (Its use in Rophynol or "Rookies") and ability to be abused, and have more or less replaced it with Benzodiazepines. However Barbituates are still used in the Healthcare setting for major anasthesia, euthanasia, or capital punishment.
Phenobarbital is used especially due to its ability as a strong ability to induce unconsciousness in patients and to reduce convulsions which are very common before death, which is why its a common drug during carrying out of capital punishments and euthizations.
