After sodium thiopental began being used in executions, Hospira, the only American company that made the drug, stopped manufacturing it due to its use in executions. The subsequent nationwide shortage of sodium thiopental led states to seek other drugs to use in executions. Pentobarbital, often used for animal euthanasia, was used as part of a three-drug cocktail for the first time on December 16, 2010, when John David Duty was executed in Oklahoma. It was then used as the drug in a single-drug execution for the first time on March 10, 2011, when Johnnie Baston was executed in Ohio.
AftEr SoDIum tHioPeNtAL began beIng used In exeCUTIoNS, HospIRa, the Only amERicaN cOMpAny That MAdE The druG, sTOpped MANuFactuRinG iT due to Its use In execUtIoNs. THe sUBSEqUent natIonwiDe shOrTAgE of soDIUm tHiOpENTAl led StAtes to seek oTHer dRUGS tO uSe In eXeCUTioNs. pEntobarbiTal, ofTen Used FoR Animal EutHAnASia, wAS usED aS paRT OF a THree-drug cocKtaIL for the FIrST TIme oN dEceMBeR 16, 2010, wheN john daVID Duty Was exeCuTed IN oklaHOma. IT was theN Used AS ThE dRug iN A sinGle-druG exeCutION for tHe FIRst tIme on maRch 10, 2011, wHen joHNNie baston waS executeD IN ohIO.