Euthanasia Should Be Legal Alternative

Euthanasia or physician assisted suicide, is the painless killing of a patient, suffering from a painful or incurable disease, like cancer, or alzheimer 's, the practice is illegal in most countries, including the United States, although in the United States, it is a state decision, the only state in the United States that it is legal in is Oregon. Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1994, making euthanasia legal for chronically ill patients, the only caveat is that the doctor is allowed to prescribe the medication, but they are not allowed to administer the drugs, the patient must do that themselves (Arnold, 17, 2004). Euthanasia is a controversial topic that can spark many different feelings. Some people may feel that if they are suffering that they want to end their pain, or if they have a fatal illness that they just want to speed the process along. Others, generally not a patient that is in the situation that would be in a position to consider euthanasia as a real option, feels that it is murder and morally wrong. As a potential social worker, I must say that I feel that euthanasia is wrong and should not be practiced in any form. I feel that palliative or end of life care that would make the patient more comfortable in their final days is a more valuable option than ending a life prematurely with the assistance of a doctor.

Some would argue that euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is a perfectly good process in life. Most people feel comfortable at the fact that it is done in a professional health care facility when the death occurs. People also having the right to choose for themselves if they want to participate in the euthanasia. Feeling like a person has to suffer the mental and physical pain is not good for the person’s health in addition to the other occurring problems. While this option can be abused, some laws are set in place so it cannot be abused. A written, witnessed request is provided as long as the patient is mentally competent. If the patient repeatedly request the death, two doctors have to agree that the death is appropriate for the patient

Envision you have just been diagnosed with end stage cancer. You are only given a few months remaining to live. Your doctor informs you of the frightening and painful experiences that await you. As your health begins to deteriorate, your family no longer recognizes the person that you once were. Would you choose the path to suffering tremendous amounts of pain or would you want to die peacefully before that occurred? Euthanasia is the assisted death option for those who are diagnosed with an incurable disease. It is the permissive right of voluntary suicide, to prevent those that are terminally ill from suffering in vain. Some terminally ill patients suffer a great deal of pain, and do not wish to prolong their suffering. Euthanasia ensures that a person with a degenerative disease can end their life with the assistance of the medical community. It should be the choice of the individual to end their suffering, the pain that their family goes through, emotionally and financially.

There continues to be a lack of consensus in regards to the legalization and implication of euthanasia. The Euthanasia Society of America was founded in 1938 to help educate people on why this process should be legalized (Wells 1284). Through the society, ordinary citizens could learn about all the advantages and disadvantages. The society tries to educate the ill on all of the options that they have in regards to the end of life treatment. Also when medicine can no longer help someone the person should have the right to end their life and alleviate their pain (Diaconescu 474). It should be up to the patient to decide if they are ready to die or if they want to put up a fight to survive. However, if the patient is in a coma or brain dead, family members and doctors should look at the advanced directives that the patient has given. In some cases, patients do not want to be kept alive if a machine is breathing for them (Meisel and Cerminara 2859). The patient should be able to have a choice in the quality of life that they want to live. Another argument is that people believe that church and state should be separate in hospitals as well. Patients do not want doctors being influenced by their religious beliefs when practicing medicine (Sharp, Carr, and Macdonald 275). The legalization of euthanasia shows to have many benefits for the families and patients that are suffering. Also with

Euthanasia should not be an option for patients to end their lives because euthanasia is not morally justified, and corrupts, while contradicting the point of medicine. Euthanasia also should not be used because euthanasia itself puts to much focus on suicidal drugs and not enough on finding better treatment plans for patients. In January 1991, a Gallup Poll was taken of the broad acceptance of assisted suicide in which 58% of people agreed that a person has the “moral right” to end his or her life when he or she has a disease that in incurable (Somerville, Margaret). How can this act be morally right if it is not morally justified? Do you think doctors by law should be allowed to end a patients life if the

Euthanasia can be seen in many different ways. Some may see it as ethical while others do not. Ethical standpoints argue that it is the means that matter. A major argument for euthanasia is autonomy. Autonomy make their own decisions for their life, which can somewhat been seen as the theory of egoism. Since many people do believe in autonomy, they also believe that they should have a choice on how their life ends. It is even said that people have a “right to good death” (BBC, n.d.). It can be argued that the individual isn’t choosing the way they die, but the physician does. In Michael Manning MD’s article Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Killing or Caring? it is stated, “the choice rests fully with the patient”(1998).

Euthanasia is ethical when a person clearly understands what it is and then makes an informed decision about it (Humphry 2) and 86% of people who choose euthanasia are well informed about it “(Euthanasia Statistics” 1). This shows people ae aware of their choice and all that comes with it. If a person is knowledgeable about euthanasia and still wants to end their suffering then it should be allowed. They are making a well-informed decision for their own well-being. Euthanasia is also ethical when a person has tried their best to get medical help but there is no cure and it is the only thing that will help them. According to Derek Humphry “Euthanasia has not been carried out at the first knowledge of a life threatening illness, and reasonable medical help has been sought to cure or at least slow down the terminal disease” (Humphry 2). When a person gets diagnosed with a terminal disease, no one jumps directly to euthanasia. The doctors try giving them the best care possible but sometimes nothing can cure them. Their life becomes unbearable. And since there’s no chance that the patient would get better, they should have the right to end their lives instead of going through all that pain every single day. What people also don’t realize is that knowledge is comfort (Humphry 4). What this means is that when someone knows exactly when and how they are going to die, they can prepare for it. They get a chance to say goodbye to all their

There are several arguments that favor active euthanasia. One argument is that it’s appropriate for healthcare professionals create a peaceful environment for death of an individual. A second argument is that people have the right to make their own decisions. Lastly, the remaining arguments consist of laws requiring certain safeguards to regulate the use of active euthanasia. There are several arguments that oppose this practice. The first argument in opposition is that doctor’s primary responsibility is to sustain life and to not cause death. The second argument in opposition is that patients that ill to consider this treatment are not’t mental stable enough to fully give consent. Lastly, the remaining arguments in opposition consist of how deeply this practice will affect the culture of medicine.

In the past, a doctor was a friend who treated the diseases. Now a doctor is a stranger who combats diseases. Their job is not only to prevent death but also to improve the patient’s quality of life. Lots of times there is nothing a doctor can do to prevent a patient from dying if the patient has a terminal disease; all they can do is wait for death to arrive. This waiting time can be very painful for both the patients and the people who surround them. Not practicing euthanasia at the request of the dying person is violating a person’s rights, interfering with a doctor’s job, and increasing suffering.

Euthanasia is one of the most pressing social issues of our current times. It is a concept that has been under discussion for centuries due to its scientific, legal, and moral ambiguities. An ancient Greek tragedian once stated, “Death is not the worst evil, but rather when we wish to die and cannot...” (Torr 12). There will be a time in everyone's life where they will pass away, but the decision of when and how should ultimately be an individual’s choice. With that being said, doctors should be allowed to aid patients in physician-assisted suicide to give them an opportunity to go without suffering, and have a painless death.

Euthanasia is a practice that should be allowed because only the patient that is diagnosed with a terminal disease knows how they really feel. Some people can make their own decisions to take their own lives and die with dignity. However, other people are in a comma or are in bed for years without any hope to recuperate. In that case, there is no reason to let them suffer; most of the time, the family suffers more to see their loved ones suffering than to pull the plug on the them. The euthanasia will help shorten the grieving process and end suffering of their loved ones, so that the victim can rest in peace.

Euthanasia is the practice of ending a person’s life intentionally in order to relieve pain and suffering. Every country has different euthanasia laws. Euthanasia itself is categorized in different ways, which include voluntary, non-voluntary, or involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia is the only category that is legal in a few countries. The act of ending one’s life, even through a voluntary act, is morally wrong and should not become legal in the US. It is ultimately an act of murder. This issue is important due to the fact that the lives of many suffering people will be on the line. If this law were to become legal, rather than giving freedom to the suffering patients, euthanasia and assisted suicide will ultimately give other people the legal power to end another person’s life.

Most people think that Euthanasia is a cruel way of ending someone 's life, but in fact many people want to die due to having an incurable or painful disease. Many people seek the counsel of their physician when they no longer want to live, in hopes of gaining euthanasia advice. There is much controversy surrounding physician assisted suicide. A doctor should not have the right to euthanize a patient because they are not God and do not have the priviledge to determine when a person should die.

The term “euthanasia” is derived from Greek, and means “Good death.” It is a broad term for mercy killing, which is a plea to euthanasia. It represents a serious socio-legal debate. People do not always die well. Some afflictions cause people to suffer extreme physical pain in their last days, and euthanasia may seem a compassionate way to end the pain. The case of Karen Ann Quinlan set a precedent for patient’s right to refuse unwanted medical treatment. However, the credit of bringing euthanasia to the public goes to Jack Kevorkian.

Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many different opinions have been formed. From doctors and nurses to family members dealing with loved ones in the hospital, all of them have different ideas for the way they wish to die. However, there are many different issues affecting the legislation and beliefs of legalizing euthanasia. Taking the following aspects into mind, many may get a different understanding as to why legalization of euthanasia is necessary. Some of these include: misunderstanding of what euthanasia really is, doctors and nurses code of ethics, legal cases and laws, religious and personal beliefs, and economics in end-of-life care.