Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

Assisted suicide is a topic that has ignited a severe debate due to the controversy that surrounds its implementation. Assisted suicide occurs when a patients expresses their intention to die and request a physician to assist them in the process. Some countries like Oregon, Canada, and Belgium have legalized the process terming it as an alternative to prolonged suffering for patients who are bound to die. Unlike euthanasia where a physician administers the process, assisted suicide requires that the patient voluntarily initiates and executes the process. Although there exists concession such a process is important to assist patients die without much suffering, there has emerged criticism on its risk of abuse and as an expression of medical

Support for the participation of physicians in the suicides of terminally ill patients is increasing. Much of the controversy surrounding physician-assisted suicide however focuses on the debate over whether the practice should be legalized. A woman suffering from cancer became the first person known to die under the law of physician-assisted suicide in March of 1998. In 1994, voters in Oregon approved a referendum called the Death with Dignity Act, which was enacted in 1997. This law allows patients who have been given six months or less to live that wish to hasten their deaths to obtain lethal doses of medication prescribed by two doctors. Between 1998 and 2000, ninety-six lethal prescriptions were written, and seventy patients took the

During the first year the death with dignity act went into effect in Oregon, just fifteen people ended their life through the process of euthanasia. In 1997, a group of people rallied to undermine the death with dignity act with a statute called measure fifty-one but the citizens of Oregon rejected the measure proving that the men and women of Oregon demand this right and want the death with dignity act to stay in place ("Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Timeline"). Sixty-one physicians wrote prescriptions for lethal doses of medication in Oregon in the year 2012 for the purpose of euthanasia, displaying the willingness of experienced medical professionals to assist patients in dying with dignity ("Prescription for Suicide" 1). Washington became the second state to legalize assisted suicide in November of 2008, and Montana followed suit on January second, 2010. Finally, Vermont legalized assisted suicide in May of 2013, becoming the fourth and final state to emulate support for death with dignity. The precise reason that more states do not make dying with dignity a legal option is complicated, but one factor that does contribute to the rejection of assisted suicide legislation is the concerns about the safety and ethicality of euthanasia ("Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Timeline"). The reality of these concerns is that the regulations regarding assisted suicide are proving to work impeccably as noted by the Canada Compassion and Choices

Though assisted suicide is a humane way to end human suffering, it is still illegal in most US states (ProQuest Staff). Assisted suicide has created many ripples and tears in state governments all over the united states. Oregon legislature began to take action in passing a law called measure 16 or “The Oregon Death with Dignity Act” to make assisted suicide legal in the late 90’s (ProQuest Staff). After Oregon had passed the laws the US government got involved issuing a temporary restraining order and an injunction barring the state from putting Measure 16 into effect (ProQuest Staff). Two years later Oregon residents gain the right to end their lives if they have a terminal illness (ProQuest Staff). Oregon’s law on assisted suicide is there but is very precise as to when and how one can end their life. Patients wanting to obtain a lethal prescription must first, have a serious and incurable illness, and secondly requests for lethal medication must be made no more than six months from death (Wente). After Oregon complications with passing their Death with Dignity Act other states soon began to follow creating their own laws on assisted suicide. The second state in the US to pass these laws was Washington, they passed their version of the act in 2008. After Washington, Montana soon followed in 2010 becoming the third state to pass legislature approving assisted suicide.

On the morning of April 20th, 2017, nearly a year ago as of the writing of this paper, Charlie and Francie Emerick held hands for one last time. After months of preparation, both physically and mentally, the couple was ready. They were about to commit assisted suicide (Aleccia). While many argue against the ideals of assisted suicide, which is the act of, with the help of a physician, ending your life, I believe that, under the proper legislation, it is an acceptable form of death. While some people may argue that death should be natural, doctors won’t do it, and that it’s a cry for help, it’s obvious that this is a considerable alternative which is a genuine option to the end of life.

Assisted suicide or any type of suicide is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. A criterion in some states where assisted suicide is legal are strictly followed. “Eligibility is managed so that patients do not suffer from a terminal illness may not participate”. In the article Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon: A Medical Perspective, authors Herbert Hendin and Kathleen Foley evaluate Oregon’s Death and Dignity act legalized in 1997. When discussing the criteria, Hendin and Foley say that these safeguards include “presenting patients with the option for palliative care; ensuring that patients are competent to produce end-of-life decisions for themselves; limiting the procedure to patients who are terminally ill; ensuring the voluntaries of the request; obtaining a second opinion on the case; requiring the request to be persistent; encouraging the involvement of the next of kin; and requiring physicians to inform OPHD of all cases in which they have written a prescription for assisted suicide” (Sullivan). This action of assisted suicide is for terminally ill patients who choose to be in control of his or her life and death and end their

Laura is arguing that patient assisted suicide (PAS) should be legal for every individual to use as an end of life decision when they have a terminal disease. She argues that PAS is a way for a terminally ill patient to pass away on their own terms with dignity and control.

Many of these previous arguments are valid. There is little I can say against the doctor having control over death by having the ability to save and the ability to kill. They’re many “correct” ways to look at this idea. A completely viable way to look at it is that he becomes a master of death by controlling death and life with patients which is a power most would say only belongs to god and if not god, it belongs to no one. Another way to look at it is through the patient's perspective. I touched on this right at the beginning of this argument but when someone fears tomorrow more than death itself, the doctor is no longer a killer. The doctor stops hearts from beating but he isn’t a killer. The doctor is supposed to do everything in his power

According to the article, “Why Assisted Suicide Is Right, For Some,” by John M. Grohol, the evidence of Physician Assisted Suicide in Oregon and Washington State shows the fears of assisted suicide has been based on illogical viewpoints, not statistics. Grohols writing is largely a response to an article by Tom Keane, in that article Keane states, “A diagnosis of a terminal illness can easily leave patients despondent and considering taking their lives; the new law legitimizes that contemplation,” however, Grohol argues that the new law in fact acknowledges that terminal illness is a death sentence, and even though the length of life will vary from person to person, it doesn’t negate the basic fact death is coming sooner than expected with

As George Santayana says, “Our dignity is not what we do, but what we understand.” Terminally ill patients should have the choice to end their life with dignity, rather than to suffer. Not only do the patients suffer, but so does the family as well. Patients diagnosed with terminal illness have a lot of pain, doctors understand what they go through, and it is the patient's right to choose.

would you kill yourself if you were dying to put yourself out of misery? People in America are very upset that assisted suicide is legal in some states. A lot of Americans believe it is wrong and should be illegal. Should a person be able to kill them self if they want to? I believe they should, and that family members need to be willing to accept. If the fact of situation is if Love someone you should be willing to accept their decisive, even if you don’t agree with it.

Medically assisted suicide has been around for years, although it was and is illegal in most places. This practice is suicide done a doctor to end a chronically ill person’s life. Religion plays a big role in whether or not this is allowed on a person. Some religions believe it is okay only if the person is on their dying bed, while other religions believe it is a sin and betraying God. There was once a doctor who did these medically assisted suicides, his name was Jack Kevorkian. People believed he was dangerous and on a killing spree, when in reality he was just granted the wishes of the chronically ill. Also Emile Durkheim had two theories that will be discussed briefly, about suicide. He talks about who commits it and why. Suicide is never the answer, unless someone is on their death bed.

It is thought that the presumed vulnerable would be left helpless if physician-assisted suicide were legalized, though evidence shows this claim is false. People presumed vulnerable to physician assisted suicide are the uninsured, the poor, people with little education, people older than 80, women, people with mental illnesses, people with physical disabilities, minors and racial and ethnic minorities. There is no evidence supporting the claim that any of these groups have been adversely affected since physician-assisted suicide was legalized in Oregon in 1997. Since the law was passed in 1997, 460 patients have died from ingesting physician prescribed medication under the Death with Dignity Act (Department of Human Services, 2010). In 2009 a total of 59 deaths were from physician-assisted suicide; 98.3 percent were white, 48.3 percent had at least a bachelors degree, 98.7 percent had health insurance, and 78 percent were between 55 and 84 years-old (Department of Human Services, 2010). These statistics clearly show the vulnerable have not been poorly affected by the legalization of physician-assisted suicide.

Brittany Maynard was 29 when she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor. “I can’t even tell you the amount of relief that it provides me to know that I don’t have to die the way that it has been described to me that my brain tumor would take me on its own.” She was told that she had roughly 6 months to live, as the cancer had developed to stage 4 rapidly. Upon hearing how much suffering the cancer would cause her as it took over her body, she decided to move to Portland, Oregon and receive a prescription through the Death with Dignity act. Brittany had recently married and was looking forward to starting a family. She also had the intention of becoming a teacher. Since discovering her cancer, she has been living out the remainder of

Physician assisted suicide is requested by the terminally ill, typically when the pain from the illness is too much to handle and is not manageable through treatments or other medications. Assisted suicide is more of a broad term for helping someone die a good death, physician assisted suicide is where a medical doctor provides information and medication and the patient then administers the medications themselves. Euthanasia is also another term that is commonly heard, this refers to a medical doctor that voluntarily administers the lethal dose of medication to the patient when the patient requests it, due to not physically being able to do it themselves (Humphry, 2006). There pros and cons with this topic throughout the world, but is one of the biggest debated things here in the United States of America and to this day there are only five states that have legalized physician-assisted suicide (ProCon.org, 2015). The government should allow patients that are terminally ill the right to choose physician assisted suicide, why should they have to suffer when there is a way out.