Taser International feeds meth to sheep, then hits 'em with the Taser

[Truth2Tell]

From: Raw Story

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0417/prove-devices-safety-taser-drugs-tortures-animals/

To prove weapon’s safety, Taser drugs, tortures animals

According to electric-shock weapons maker Taser International, if a bunch of sheep are fed methamphetamine and subjected to a series of shocks and none of them suffer cardiac arrest, that weapon must be alright to use on real meth addicts.

That was the aim of a recent study paid for by Taser, which did just that: drugged and tortured animals with 50,000 volts as a means of proving a weapon's safety.

The study's abstract reads: "Because of the prevalence of methamphetamine abuse worldwide, it is not uncommon for subjects in law enforcement encounters to be methamphetamine-intoxicated. Methamphetamine has been present in arrest-related death cases in which an electronic control device (ECD) was used. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the cardiac effects of an ECD in a methamphetamine intoxication model."

To begin their analysis, 16 sheep were anesthetized and fed varying amounts of meth up to 1.5 mg. The animals were then administered shocks of various lengths by a Taser X-26 while researchers monitored their heart function. The weapons-maker has a video of the http://www.taser.com/pages/VideoDetails.aspx?videoid=41">weapon's specifications available online.

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0417/prove-devices-safety-taser-drugs-tortures-animals/">More...

[mikelgb]

1. Ah the marvels of science

[Confusious]

6. It's not the marvels of science

It's the marvels of people who should know better, but don't.

[belpejic]

2. That is so sick.

I hope these assholes get busted for cruelty to animals. Tasers are evil; feeding innocent animals meth and tasering them merits placement in one of the lower levels of hell. I hate to say it, but only repubs get off on this...

[paulsby]

3. sounds like legitimate mode of research to me

otoh, do you still hear the lambs, clarice?

[MajorChode]

4. Mmmm. Lamp chops

[SOS]

10. Why not just collect and analyze the data?

The very premise of this "research" includes the fact the meth users are regularly tasered.
Take the total number meth users subjected to the taser and the total number killed.
Divide to get percentage.
Leave the sheep alone.
But analyzing real world data might lead to uncomfortable conclusions for TaserCo...

Lawsuit!

[paulsby]

12. because correlation =/= causation

meth users have died after being tasered

meth users have also died after a mere wrestling match with cops (i had one stop breathing on me)

just because a meth user was tased, and subsequently died =/= taser CAUSED the death

as autopsy report after autopsy report has shown

unhealthy long time drug users (often polydrug users) in fight or flight mode, often dehydrated, malnourished, etc. DIE in struggles

that's not the fault of the tasers and it happened LONG before tasers

using the lambs to see if there is anything particular about meth that might be a contributory factor in deaths etc. is good research

[MajorChode]

13. It's always the cops fault, doncha know

It doesn't matter if the perp shot up meth into his ballsack with a turkey baster and was on the edge of death's doorstep even before the cop showed up. If a cop is involved and something bad happens, it's always the cop's fault. If a cop is involved and something good happens, then that is NOT the cop's fault. Autopsy data doesn't matter. Empirical scientific data doesn't matter. Data that shows meth addicts dying in custody even without taser usage doesn't matter. Only rumors based on junk science matter just so long as they support an already preconceived notion.

The sooner you realize those things and let go of any analytical thinking processes you may have on the subject, the better off you'll be.

Hope this helps.

[paulsby]

14. this was very illuminating, thanks

it all makes sense now.

what a "click" moment

[demodonkey]

5. Sheep abuse. Nothing more. nt

[LiberalFighter]

7. Why don't they just come up with a way to shrink wrap people with a spray device?

That would immobilize them without subjecting them to shock treatment.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

9. Because it is so much fun to taser

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Take a pick... sheep or peaceful protests.


Of course I prefer neither.

[Cid_B]

11. Been tried...

Problems with this technology include: the serious risk of smothering the subject; skin clean-up (the foam may not be toxic, but solvents are often harsh); "gun" clogging; targeting and firing; and gun cleaning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_foam

If you can figure out how to get past all that and make it mace sized you'd have a hell of a product.

[City Lights]

8. Disgusting.

:argh: