<P> Under Texas law , executions are carried out at or after 6 p.m. Huntsville ( Central ) time `` by intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death and until such convict is dead '' . The law does not specify the substance ( s ) to be used ; previously , according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice the chemicals used for the lethal injection were the commonly - used three - drug combination of ( in order ) sodium thiopental ( a dose which sedates the offender , but not enough to kill outright ) , pancuronium bromide ( a muscle relaxant which collapses the diaphragm and lungs ) , and potassium chloride ( which stops the heartbeat ) . The offender is usually pronounced dead approximately seven minutes after start of the injection process ; the cost for the three substances is $86.08 per offender . As a result of drug shortages , sodium thiopental was replaced by pentobarbital in 2011 . Further shortages of this drug have pushed the cost of the drugs to approximately $1300 per offender . Still further shortages of pancuronium bromide ( and the expiration of the existing stock ) forced the state into switching to a single - drug protocol , using solely pentobarbital . </P>
<P> Under Texas law , executions are carried out at or after 6 p.m. Huntsville ( Central ) time `` by intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death and until such convict is dead '' . The law does not specify the substance ( s ) to be used ; previously , according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice the chemicals used for the lethal injection were the commonly - used three - drug combination of ( in order ) sodium thiopental ( a dose which sedates the offender , but not enough to kill outright ) , pancuronium bromide ( a muscle relaxant which collapses the diaphragm and lungs ) , and potassium chloride ( which stops the heartbeat ) . The offender is usually pronounced dead approximately seven minutes after start of the injection process ; the cost for the three substances is $86.08 per offender . As a result of drug shortages , sodium thiopental was replaced by pentobarbital in 2011 . Further shortages of this drug have pushed the cost of the drugs to approximately $1300 per offender . Still further shortages of pancuronium bromide ( and the expiration of the existing stock ) forced the state into switching to a single - drug protocol , using solely pentobarbital . </P>
what form of death penalty does texas use
what form of death penalty does texas use
intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death and until such convict is dead
intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death and until such convict is dead