Idaho Lawmaker Heather Scott R-Blanchard bans cannibalism

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February 9, 2024 - Reading time: 2 minutes

An Idaho lawmaker wants to expand a law that bans cannibalism over fears about a rise in human composting.

Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, introduced a bill Thursday to expand the state’s cannibalism ban and told a legislative committee that she’s worried about the possibility that people are eating other people.

Idaho is currently the only state in the US with a law banning cannibalism, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica. Other states have laws targeting abuse or desecration of a corpse, as per Cornell Law School. Scott’s bill would add to Idaho’s prohibition of cannibalism a ban on giving someone else “the flesh or blood of a human being” without that person’s “knowledge or consent.”

Scott said she has been “disturbed” by the practice of human composting, which has been legalized in several states as another option for dealing with remains that may be more sustainable than other burial methods and reduce a person’s carbon footprint. However, she mentioned that outlawing composting would require overhauling rules for morticians, so instead, her focus is on deliberately giving another person human flesh.

Human composting is the practice of decomposing human remains like other organic matter and turning it into soil that can be returned to the family or used for land. Scott said she was inspired to do something about this after watching a clip from a television show where a chef fed human flesh in sausage form to contestants without their knowledge, which is not an actual practice but rather a prank on the show.

The Idaho lawmaker also sent links of videos featuring fake stories of cannibalism and human flesh being sold as meat products. She additionally pointed out a case in North Idaho where a man was charged with murder and initially accused of cannibalism after investigators found postmortem mutilation at the crime scene, but the charge was later dropped.

Rep. Heather Scott is concerned about the possibility of people consuming human flesh due to the rise in human composting and has introduced a bill to expand Idaho’s cannibalism ban.

DW Staff

David Lintott is the Editor-in-Chief, leading our team of talented freelance journalists. He specializes in covering culture, sport, and society. Originally from the decaying seaside town of Eastbourne, he attributes his insightful world-weariness to his roots in this unique setting.

Heather Scott Idaho Blanchard Cornell Law School Encyclopaedia Britannica.

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