Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal

The question everyone is arguing is whether or not assisted suicide should be legalized. In order for people to truly argue and decide whether assisted suicide should be legal they must know the definition. Many people mix up the definition of assisted suicide with euthanasia. There are both arguments for assisted suicide and against it. When arguing for and against assisted suicide the big argument seems to be whether it is morally right or morally wrong. The question of whether assisted suicide should be legal question what is the value of life, is it morally right or is it morally wrong and why does it matter. I believe the answer to whether assisted suicide is morally right or wrong depends on each individual, but in order to decide, you must be informed about assisted suicide and the sides against and for it.

Imagine laying in a hospital bed living everyday in extreme pain with no hope of getting better. This scenario explains what many people go through everyday, which is a living with a terminal illness. M. Lee, a science historian, and Alexander Stingl a sociologist, define terminal illness as “an illness from which the patient is not expected to recover even with treatment. As the illness progresses death is inevitable” (1). There are not many options for the terminally ill besides dying a slow and painful death, but assisted suicide could be best option for these patients. Assisted suicide is “any case in which a doctor gives a patient (usually someone with a terminal illness) the means to carry out their own suicide by using a lethal dose of medication” (Lee and Stingl 1). Some feel that assisted suicide is unnecessary because it is too great of a controversy and will only cause problems in society. However, assisted suicide should be legal in the United States as long as there are strict regulations to accompany it.

Imagine you have a terminal illness. You are in immense, overwhelming, and constant pain, and it grows hard to bear. The medical bills are rapidly rising to keep you alive, and you know your family is going into debt. Waking up every day hurts more than the last, and the doctors say you have a month, if that, to live. They have checked your results and they know there is nothing you can do but wait. You often find yourself wishing there was a way you could have a peaceful, safe end to everything, surrounded by your family and loved ones. They can get out of debt and go back to their normal lives, and you will be in good hands and choose when you go. Assisted suicide is the practice that can allow an individual to do just that. It is when one

For instance, if a doctor gave an overdose of medication or gave a lethal injection this would be considered an active euthanasia. Passive Euthanasia is withholding something needed for life. Examples of this might be taking someone off of a feeding tube or life support and letting them die on their own.

Passive euthanasia can be defined as letting the patient die. The doctor takes the patient off their treatment and let the disease run through until they die. Active euthanasia is not legal today, and leans more toward killing the patient. The patient is ready to die so the doctor gives a lethal injection to speed up the process. Physician assisted suicide is almost a combination

Active versus passive euthanasia are two different, albeit arguably similar, ways in which an individual is helped to die. Passive euthanasia involves withholding life-saving medical treatment or removal from life

Within the scope of euthanasia are passive and active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia occurs when a patient refuses access to medical care or treatments, as is allowed by their freedom to legally choose whatever treatment they wish to receive or withhold (Stoyles et al 683). However, their decision to withhold from receiving treatments may result in a hastening of their death. Passive euthanasia is legal in the United States (Stoyles et al 683). However active euthanasia is illegal and is often misconstrued as being identical to physician-assisted suicide. Despite similarities, they are different in technical terms. Both euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have the same intent and end result. However in euthanasia, the doctor is responsible for administering the lethal injection or other agent of death. In physician assisted suicide, the physician prescribes the patient a lethal injection which the patient will themselves administer (Boudreau et al 2). In both cases, the patient consents to the treatment, but only physician-assisted suicide is legal in certain states within the United States.

There are different forms in which suicide and euthanasia can take place. Suicide, for example, can be assisted, while euthanasia can be either passive or active. Passive euthanasia is when a physician will allow nature to take its course and

“Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back” (Marcus Aurelius). Look in a mirror and imagine someone that has a horrible disease like breast cancer or AIDS and is suffering from all the pain that is killing them. People and terminally ill patients have the right to choose but they do not let patients choose when they want to end their lives when they have a terminal illness. The right to die and the right to choose has been in the Civil Rights for a while now and the other people that disagree would not let the people desire it. Terminally ill patients suffer from cancer and tumors, and they endure a lot of pain that they would kill for something to stop the pain. Death is no crime and does no harm to other people. They might feel mental pain, but no physical pain is inflicted. Assisted Suicide should be legal because it is a Civil Right, it can be for terminally ill patients, and it does not harm others.

While a doctor’s main goal is to save lives, physician assisted suicide should be legal I all fifty states because people should be able to determine when they are ready to end their life, but only in certain limited circumstances. Physician assisted suicide, also known as PAS, is suicide committed with the help of a physician. Another name for assisted suicide is euthanasia, which is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Euthanasia is different from assisted suicide because the patient does not really have a say in what happens to them, therefore it is illegal in most countries. There are many different ways that the physician could assist the patient in committing suicide. In some cases the physician would provide lethal drugs so that the patient would pass away. In most cases a doctor or physician would take the patient off of life support. Although it is said that in some cases the patient can voluntarily stop eating and drinking is considered assisted suicide that seems to be more of a choice they make on their own and not so much with the help of a physician. Physician assisted suicide is currently legal in only five states; Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. This law should be legal in all fifty states because it is unjust to the individuals who find their quality of live intolerable.

The above-mentioned types of Euthanasia can be further divided into two more major parts: Active and Passive Euthanasia. The hastening of the death of a person by active procedures such as deliberately overdosing on a medicine is known as Active Euthanasia. On the other hand, Passive Euthanasia is when death to a patient is brought by an omission. It is when the treatment necessary for the continuance of life is brought to an end. For example, ventilators or life support

There are some logical reasons to legalize it, but the negative effects outweigh those reasons. Moral, legal, and economical issues have been researched and will continue to be. When finding sources for each individual issue concerning euthanasia or assisted suicide, they blend with one another. Euthanasia is a technique to help the sick and suffering, but the risks of abuse are too great. In the last few years’ euthanasia has become a more popular way of deciding the fate for people who have been diagnosed with less than a year to live with a deadly medical disease. Courts are ruling in their favor if a licensed medical physician in whichever state has concluded that the person has less than 12 months to live. While courts rule one way, there are others who don’t believe that taking your own life, no matter what the circumstances may be is not the correct way to go. Life and death should be dealt with accordingly, we didn’t decide when we were born, so why should we decide when we die. There are many pros and cons to the idea of what life is about. There are five states who have made assisted suicide legal if there is help from a medical practitioner. The courts are in a constant battle with cases to look over and see everything that should have to do with the entire scenario. Being afraid to fight what’s been placed in front of you is a cowardly act. In the grand scheme of the universe our lives are like a grain of sand, but at

There probably isn’t one person that can say that they haven’t watched somebody they love in some way suffer from and ultimately die from some sort of unfortunate disease. Assisted suicide is a very controversial topic in the United States. Physician assisted suicide is defined as suicide committed by a terminally ill person with help from another person. This subject causes many controversies of ethical and moral issues. Some of these issues are that it violates the doctors Hippocratic Oath, suicide is ruled wrong in many religions, and some even say it degrades the value of human life. However, physician assisted suicide should be legalized because it offers terminally ill people an opportunity for a

Does a suffering person have the right to end their own life? That is the main debate behind assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is a very secretive, but surprisingly available option for people who are suffering. The documentary The Suicide Plan is largely presented from the point of view of the people who believe assisted suicide should be legal. The documentary takes us inside the hidden world of assisted suicide, as seen through the eyes of the people considering it. Assisted suicide is only legal for terminally ill patients in the states Oregon and Washington. Individuals in other states who consider assisted suicide are generally suffering terminally ill patients who want the same equal opportunity. There are many organizations that people can reach out to for information about the requirements, the step-by-step process, and what to expect. The organizations have very specific guidelines for their client and patients have to understand that they will be killing themselves. Organizations are not physically involved in the suicide, they do not provide any drugs or materials, and very carefully confirm the individual’s understanding. The organizations help people decide if suicide is the right option for them and are there through out the whole process to support the individual and their families.

Does a suffering person have the right to end their own life? That is the main debate behind assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is a very secret, but surprisingly available option for suffering people. The documentary The Suicide Plan focuses on the people who believe assisted suicide should be legal. The documentary takes us inside the hidden world of assisted suicide, as seen through the eyes of the people considering it. Assisted suicide is only legal for terminally ill patients in Oregon and Washington. Individuals in other states who consider assisted suicide are generally suffering terminal patients who want the same opportunity. There are many organizations that people can reach out to for information about the requirements, the step-by-step process, and what to expect. Patients understand that they will be killing themselves. The organizations have very specific guidelines for their clients. Organizations are not physically involved in the suicide, they do not provide any drugs or materials, and very carefully confirm the individual’s understanding.