The closure by US authorities of the black market Silk Road website will have a devastating effect on some elderly Australians, says euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke.
They were using the site to source reliable quantities of the "premier" end-of-life drug Nembutal, Dr Nitschke, director of Exit International, said on Friday.
US Federal agents this week shut down the site which they said was a black market for drugs, hitmen and hacker tools and arrested the suspected owner.
But Dr Nitschke said the site had been welcomed by elderly Australians desperate to obtain an end-of-life safety net.
"Our elderly members appreciated the comfort that came from knowing that their transactions were private," he said in a statement.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"Although they knew that importing a small amount of Nembutal for possible use at some future date was illegal, many still felt it was a risk worth taking.
"The removal of the site will now mean that other less secure avenues will be pursued."
The site closure will be one topic discussed at an Exit International euthanasia workshop to be held in Adelaide on Saturday.
