Argumentative Essay On Legalization Of Euthanasia

Doctor Faye Girsh backs up this statement by showing that many patients want to end their lives and the suffering that comes with it. She says, “At the Hemlock Society we get calls daily from desperate people who are looking for someone like Jack Kevorkian to end their lives which have lost all quality... Americans should enjoy a right guaranteed in the European Declaration of Human Rights -- the right not to be forced to suffer. It should be considered as much of a crime to make someone live who with justification does not wish to continue as it is to take life without consent.”(1) This shows that euthanasia supports the common good, which is one of the values our Democracy was founded on. Euthanasia has also become legal in Oregon and Washington in the United States now. This means that votes have actually shown that people want euthanasia to be legal. Because one of the Democratic ideals is popular sovereignty, the United States must carry out the will of the people. All of these examples show that euthanasia should be allowed in the United States, but how do we get that goal to become a reality? The best way to get people informed and involved is to create plenty of ads and announcements regarding euthanasia in order to

Voluntary euthanasia is when a person make a conscious decision to end their and ask for help to use this. Euthanasia itself means an intentional termination of their life by others because the person is incurable or is in an irreversible coma. This topic became one of the most controversial topics in the world. Some argue whether voluntary euthanasia morally acceptable. However, others believe that we are playing with God since God create human alive and by taking our own life if like disrespect God.

To legalize it; Or to let people suffer? In the year of 2015, sixty-eight percent of people said that they deemed it to be morally acceptable, while thirty-two percent of people were against it. This has increased in ten points from 2014, and the support came from eighteen to thirty-four year olds. The most important thing that plays a large part in these people's decisions to support or reject, is religion. It was shown that those who have attended church on a regular basis are seventy-four percent less likely to support euthanasia. Another factor, is what it is called. The person taking the poll asked about the subject in two different ways; Physician assisted suicide or Euthanasia? Fifty-eight percent of Americans favored this idea when it was referred to without using the word suicide. Currently, Only five states have had this idea legalized and put into action in their hospitals and health centers. Oregon ,Washington, Montana, California, and Vermont. These states fought for it to become legal, due to the amounts of people suffering in their

Over time, many states have attempted to pass laws to make Physician-Assisted Suicide legal; however, these voter initiatives have failed to pass in almost every state, with the exceptions being Oregon, Montana, and Washington. ("Suicide, Euthanasia, and Physician-Assisted Suicide"). Further, these initiatives have been attempted many times, such as in California, but have failed to gather enough support. ("Introduction to Assisted Suicide: Current Controversies"). Nevertheless, the support for the legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide is increasing across America and may become a more widely accepted practice in the near future. ("Suicide, Euthanasia, and Physician-Assisted Suicide"). While support for Physician-Assisted suicide is increasing, it is unlikely that the issue will become one decided by the federal government and will remain a state issue instead. This issue, however, is not unique to the United States; it is a controversial topic in many European nations. Many European nations allow assisted

Thesis Statement: Euthanasia for humans must be legalized in America because less patients will have to endure a tragic and painful death for the remainder of their life. REASON #1: Euthanasia ends unbearable suffering. “Suicide, self-deliverance, auto-euthanasia, aid-in-dying, assisted suicide—call it what you like—can be justified by the average supporter of the so-called 'right to die' movement because advanced terminal illness that is causing unbearable suffering to the individual. This is the most common reason to seek an early end”(Humphry). “Euthanasia used to be limited to patients in the terminal stage of an illness, but it is now thought to be appropriate in some cases of nonterminal patients, for example, those in a persistent

John Key once said “If I had terminal cancer, I had a few weeks to live, I was in tremendous amount of pain - if they just effectively wanted to turn off the switch and legalize that by legalizing euthanasia, I 'd want that” (Brainyquote, web). John Key, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, supports euthanasia. Since Key has been in office, the public support for euthanasia went up 70%. If people are changing around the world, then why are Americans not changing to accept that assisted suicide is morally correct and provides the terminally ill with the right to die with dignity?

A study undertaken shows a majority of Australians support making voluntary euthanasia legal. An online survey was conducted with more than 1,400 people data revealed more than 70% believe Euthanasia should be allowed. 17% said “they didn’t know”, whilst 12% were opposed to the

al., “The Practice of Euthanasia”). Similar to family members, it is difficult for the doctors to watch someone die of a terminal illness and experience him slowly lose his ability to do even the easiest of tasks. Terminally ill patients feel a great sense of hopelessness at the end of their life and may feel no desire to continue it. The physician who seeks to remove pain and suffering from patients would do what is in their power to aid these patients. When treatment is no longer an option, assisted suicide is a way for these physicians to help their patient one final time. In a study done by Emanuel and colleagues, 54% of physicians in the United States were in favor of legalizing physician-assisted suicide (Emanuel et. al., “Attitudes and Practices of Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide”).

“Euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition” (dictionary.com). The word itself comes from Greek- the ‘eu’ means good and ‘Thanatos’ means death. Euthanasia literally means good death (Humphry 2). Currently euthanasia is legal in Belgium, India, Colombia, Ireland, Luxemburg, Mexico and the Netherlands (“where is euthanasia legal?” 1-2). Since euthanasia ends someone’s suffering and is completely painless, many Americans support it. Because of the beneficial effects of euthanasia, it should be legalized in the United States because it is justifiable under certain circumstances, both

Euthanasia is already legal in the Netherlands, India, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, and Colombia. Euthanasia is legal in the U.S. states of Vermont, Oregon, Washington, California, and Montana. In Belgium, both the patient and the doctor decide whether it is best, and I believe that the U.S. should take a similar approach, where the patient and the doctor should really communicate. Euthanasia should be available to humans, but only under certain guidelines and all cases should be investigated into before the person is

Most people do not like to talk or even think about death; much less the topic of ending one’s own life. However, for some, death is a desired alternative to living in agony. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate since antiquity, and both sides stand firm on their beliefs. The right to choose death is illegal in most countries. I believe in people’s freedom to do what they please with their own bodies. The basic right of liberty is what America was founded on. Euthanasia should be a legal option.

In cases where an individual's quality of life is irreparably diminished by terminal illness, one may seek to end their life with the help of a doctor. This has been a solution for patient suffering in neighboring countries, but there are ethical and legal issues that make it an impractical solution for American healthcare. Considering the results of negative potential of euthanasia practices exposes its flaws, and sheds light on better alternatives. Therefore active euthanasia, not to be confused with physician assisted suicide, should not be legalized in the United States.

Most adults diagnosed with cancer undergo years of treatment in attempts to cure that cancer. However, sometimes these treatments may not work, or the cancer is found too late in a patient to be stopped, and a patient’s cancer can be determined terminal, which means that the cancer can not be cured and will lead to death. If cancer is determined terminal, end-of-life care can be administered patients to control lasting pains, including shortness of breath, nausea, and constipation. However, this treatment does not cure the cancer, and will not prevent death in a terminally ill cancer patient. In some cases, patients decide that receiving end-of-life treatment is not worth it if the treatment does not prevent death. Terminally ill cancer patients may also continue to experience unbearable suffering, despite end-of-life treatments, as it is not always effective. These factors may push some terminally ill cancer patients to request to be actively euthanized. Active euthanasia is the merciful ending of a patient’s life through a single act, such as an injection. Terminally ill cancer patients should have the right to determine if they are actively euthanized. However, only patients who consider their suffering unbearable should have the right to be euthanized.

Currently, voluntary euthanasia is only legal in five states: California, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Montana (Galewitz, "Aid-in-Dying Advocacy Group Girds for Battles After California Victory"). These states all have their own individual laws deciding who can or can’t be euthanized. For example, Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act restricts anyone without a terminal illness that can cause death within 6 months and anyone under 18 from using euthanasia (“Death With Dignity Act”). Rules like these prevent irresponsible use of euthanasia, and give physicians a general guideline to administering the drugs. Outside of the listed states, any form of euthanasia is considered a

Euthanasia is known to be a “physician-assisted suicide” where a terminally ill patient decides to end his or her life with the help of a professional. This is an illegal practice in most countries, including the United States. For several decades now, the allowance of euthanasia throughout the nation has been highly debated. In the U.S. euthanasia is illegal in most states with the exception of California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and in Montana it is legal after a court ruling (Hanley). This has occurred as a result of the thousands of patients who have openly asked for help in dying.