Ramón Sampedro Cameán was a Spanish seaman and writer. Sampedro became a quadriplegic at the age of 25, following a diving accident, and fought for his right to assisted dying for the following 29 years.

Potassium cyanide is a compound with the formula KCN. It is a colorless salt, similar in appearance to sugar, that is highly soluble in water. Most KCN is used in gold mining, organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications include jewellery for chemical gilding and buffing. Potassium cyanide is highly toxic, and a dose of 200 to 300 milligrams will kill nearly any human.