Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

However, there is immense criticism on the morality of the process, especially because the process denies a patient the right to natural death. The critics of the assisted suicide procedure argue that such a process devalues human life and tends to promote suicide as an alternative to personal suffering. By claiming that the procedure allows terminally ill patients to initiate dignity at death is flawed because the purpose of medical profession is to ensure a dignified life. According to the physicians’ code of ethics and the Hippocratic Oath, physicians are not allowed to do harm to their patients because their role is to allow a dignified health for members of the community. Consequently, legalization of Physician Assisted suicide that requires physicians to assist the patients to die is against their medical ethics. Quill, Cassel, & Meier (2010) provide that although the patients voluntarily ask the medical practitioners to assist in the process, the practitioners have a role to advise the patients against such a procedure. Besides, such a premise is bound to raise awareness of suicide as an alternative to suffering within the public domain, which may encourage such behavior among healthy members of the community that feel that they enjoy the freedom to make such a decision. On this basis, the negative moral implication of assisted suicide makes its legalization unworthy in the

Brittany Maynard, a woman known for her advocacy in the controversial topic of assisted suicide, officially ended her life this fall after learning of her fatal brain tumor. After complaining of horrible headaches, she decided to see a doctor where they gave her this traumatic news. She had two corrective surgeries to try and stop the growth of her large tumor, but they were unsuccessful. Her doctor then suggested full brain radiation, but after months of researching this option, along with many other, she knew her quality of what short life she had left would quickly deteriorate. With the help of her family, friends, and newly-wed husband, she made the decision to move with her loved ones from her California home to Oregon, where death with

Maynard was the tip of the iceberg for the physician-assisted suicide supporters. She was only 29 when she decided to take death into her own hands and move to Oregon, the state that legalized physician-assisted suicide in 1994 (Historical Timeline). Individuals against physician-assisted suicide had many opinions on the choices Maynard was making. Michael Sean Winters, a reporter for the National Catholic Report states he does not understand Maynard’s lackluster attitude towards suffering. Winters states in the article, “The desire to alleviate suffering, especially for those of us who range ourselves on the more progressive side of social and cultural issues, is especially strong, and especially dangerous.” Winters also comments that individuals are supposed to embrace suffering, especially in a time of illness. Moreover, Maynard took a stand by saying that she was not committing suicide or declining suffering (Briggs). Instead she made it clear that the cancer that manifested in her brain was killing her, and she would still experience seizures and massive headaches until the end of her life, which was November 1, 2014. Maynard was a newlywed, she was young, and she did not want to die, however, she chose what she believed was best for her, her choice brought her and her family the most closure, and that’s all anyone could ask for

As of April, 2015, forms of euthanasia and PAS have been legalized in six countries and four US states (Marker). In North America, the only country where PAS is completely legal currently is Canada. In a 1995 verdict made by the Canadian Senate (Boudreau and Somerville 1-12):

One of the largest arguments made about physician assisted suicide is it is morally wrong. Supporters of the right-to-die movement, argue that just as courts have found that there is a constitutional right to refuse medical treatment, there is a similar right to ask for medical assistance in dying. When patients reach a point where illness, pain, suffering, and lack of freedom have essentially destroyed their quality of life, supporters contend, they should have the ability to end their lives legally and in a dignified manner. The government, supporters argue, has no right to interfere in this choice (" The Right to Die" ). Assisted suicide proponents argue that it is like abortion, it is a choice issue because doctors have enough knowledge to know when a patient is close to dying. Accredited

In 1994, Oregon became the first state to pass a bill legalizing physician aid-in-dying (Richardson, 2011). This law would allow a terminally ill patient with 6 months or less to live to end their life by their own terms (“It’s Not Assisted Suicide”, 2011). This bill leads to the question “Why would a form of purposeful death be legalized?” The bill, itself was passed for many reasons including the fact that the patients want to have control over their life and ultimately their death (“It’s Not Assisted Suicide”, 2011). They also do not want to live in fear of what will eventually happen to them. “Death with Dignity” was passed is because many terminally-ill patients do not want to live in excruciating pain and in fear of what will happen to them, living a prolonged life or taking control over one’s death is a personal choice belonging only to the individual making it.

On New Year’s day in 2014, 29-year-old newly wed and hopeful mother , Brittany Maynard, was diagnosed with a malignant stage four brain tumor and was given six months to live. After two failed surgeries and full brain radiation, Maynard made the decision to die on her own terms. She and her family moved to Oregon and established residency so that she could utilize Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act. Maynard chose to end her life on November 1, 2014. Before her death, Maynard asked her friends and family: “Who has the right to tell me that I don't deserve this choice? That I deserve to suffer for weeks or months in tremendous amounts of physical and emotional pain? Why should anyone have the right to make that choice for me?” This same question

For the most part, everybody throughout the world views life as sacred. In America, we see this in our laws which serve justice to those that have killed, and in our constitution alongside liberty and the pursuit of happiness as an inalienable right. It is generally agreed upon that most everybody would rather not die, and for that matter, would rather not see other people die as well. In short, barring serial killers and psychopaths, almost everybody supports life. However, when discussing the death and life of certain people, such as terminally ill patients and those sentenced to die by the court (capital punishment), a fair deal of disagreement arises. Within the politically fueled discussions that seem to dominate today’s discourse, we

Physician assisted suicide, or the so-called right-to-die, is a highly controversial issue that has appeared before many state and federal legislators but, has failed to pass in many states due to the huge opposition from groups such as the Catholic Church and disabled-rights organizations. However, physician assisted suicide is when a life ending medication is prescribed by a doctor for the patient, most commonly with a terminal illness, to take on their own. This medication merely accelerates the rate at which the person dies; therefore, it can not be considered suicide because they are only accelerating the rate at which the patient dies (Drum 29-31). In order for a patient to qualify

The Death with Dignity act is a human right that should be granted in every state. Those in favor of “legalizing assisted suicide claim that all persons have a moral right to choose freely what they will do with their lives as long as they inflict no harm on others” (Andre/Velasquez). This topic is considered taboo by many and until recently, the topic of physician assisted death was relativity undiscussed outside of the states where it is legal. The highly publicized case of Brittany Maynard, a 29 year old woman who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, changed that (Saunders). Maynard, who was given a short amount of time to live, relocated from her home in California to Oregon to take advantage of the Death with Dignity act. She was suffering and felt it was her right to choose when and how she

Places all around the world have legalized assisted suicide and it has proven successful in every place. Canada, Japan, Germany, Switzerland the USA, including California, Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and Montana, all these places have experienced and legalized assisted suicide, and every place has had an overwhelming increase in the happiness and welfare of its overall population. Canadian justices, while explaining their change in heart over assisted suicide said, “What has changed...is that other countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Colombia and Switzerland, plus four American states, have shown that assisted dying can be well regulated” (Last Rights, 2016, para. 4). This in itself expresses that because of the success other countries have already received, the implementation

It has been argued that everyone has the right to a choice and allowing physician-assisted suicide (PAS) would give patients just that. Although this is true, not only would PAS give patients a choice, it would also threaten them, along with the elderly and the disabled. PAS can cultivate a completely immoral way of thinking in people who are not the elderly, dying, or disabled. It can cause them to think that these people in question are burdens and that “ending a disabled person's life is in everyone's interest” (Asch). This way of thinking would intimidate many patients and lead to them feeling less of themselves, more of a weight in society than a

In Oregon, the practice of "assisted suicide" is legal, unlike anywhere else in the United

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.

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