Euthanasia advocacy group Exit International held it's first Canadian workshop Wednesday morning, teaching Vancouverites who are considering suicide how to do it safely without legally implicating family members and loved ones.

At noon, a group comprised largely of senior citizens gathered at the Unitarian Church on West 49th Avenue to learn where to obtain life-ending drugs, and how to test their effectiveness using "exit kits."

The organization's founder, Dr. Philip Nitschke, says he's instructed roughly 4,000 people in workshops in New Zealand, Australia and the U.K.

"What they want to know is what they can take, which is a simple drink, which will allow them to reliably go to sleep and die," Nitschke said.

Nitschke argues that informing seniors about how to safely take their own lives actually increases their lifespan.

"People think this is a paradox," Nitschke said. "What we find is that when elderly people have access to this drug, they stop worrying. And people that are not worrying are not so desperate."

Though such drugs are no longer available in Canada or the United States, Nitschke says they can still be found overseas in Mexico, Peru and Thailand for about $50.

But while suicide is legal in Canada, assisting a loved one to take their own life is a crime that can land residents years in prison.

With that in mind, Nitschke urged attendees to plan ahead and spare their families and friends the threat of "savage penalties" under Canadian law.

"Don't leave it to the point where you're so sick you have to ask your wife to go to Tijuana. Go down there yourself," he said. "She could be looking at a decade in a Canadian prison."

The workshop was to be held at the Vancouver Public Library, until the library board grew concerned about liability issues relating to the workshop's content.

The Unitarian Church of Vancouver, despite having no official position on voluntary euthanasia, offered to host the workshop instead.

More information on safety and drug availability can be found at the Exit International website.