Assisted Suicide. - Page 1 | General Discussions

Cannibal wrote on 2011-09-22 18:48

How do you feel about it? Do you think it should be completely legal, no questions asked? Or do you think it should be something only for certain circumstances?

I think it's something that should be 100% legal, no questions asked. Of course, I think there should be some sort of program set up for it so it's not random people killing others who want to die.

If someone really wants to die, but doesn't have the will to do it themselves (or physically can't), and they have already tried other options (counselling and therapy, etc), I think they should be able to die. There are things a lot worse than death.

Conor wrote on 2011-09-22 18:49

I think it should be legal, so long as they're like terminally ill or injured.

Strawberry wrote on 2011-09-22 18:54

Quote from Conor;595766:
I think it should be legal, so long as they're like terminally ill or injured.

This. Take hospitals for example, if someone were still alive from something extremely fatal, the doctors and all wouldn't let them die. Even if they wanted to so much, even if they hated their life so much after an incident.

Something only for certain circumstances, because someone else could just as easily assist their friend in suicide, and then completely lie about it. Saying that they actually committed suicide themselves, rather they assisting in it.

Cucurbita wrote on 2011-09-22 18:58

No questions asked?

I don't think so.

I'm against suicide 99.9% of the time. The only time where suicide is a viable option is if there is no chance for recovery, and your suffering is at its absolute worst.

I don't mean psychological or life suffering. Those are painful too, but its never impossible to recover and lead a proper life again.

On the flip side, if you're in a situation where its impossible to recover medically, and you are suffering while you slowly wither away, I can accept assisted suicide. What else can the person do other than feel excruciating pain for a while until he passes?

Chockeh wrote on 2011-09-22 19:11

I can only accept it when the person suiciding is in a condition where he/she will die regardless. Like AIDS for example.

Cannibal wrote on 2011-09-22 19:13

Quote from Chockeh;595824:
I can only accept it when the person suiciding is in a condition where he/she will die regardless. Like AIDS for example.

Lol, everyone is going to die regardless. Not to mention, AIDS is a poor example. People can now live full, healthy lives with AIDS.

Cynic wrote on 2011-09-22 19:14

It's a person's choice, but when they are unable to make it themselves, they should be able to know they can turn to someone to do it for them. There should be restrictions of course-- why do you think there's suicide watch at hospitals?

But if a person suffers enough, mentally or physically, then sometimes dying is the best choice above living in agony/pain/whatever.

People have no right to deny someone their given choice of life and death.

MareneCorp wrote on 2011-09-22 19:14

Don't you mean "Mercy killing" as the topic for this thread?

EndlessDreams wrote on 2011-09-22 19:31

It really depends on the situation. Does the patient rights triumphs the health care practitioner's rights? What if the person is deemed mentally unstable? Is the patient supposed to know more about his/her own health than the health care practitioner? How does assisted suicide work when the person doing the dying cannot speak for themselves, and someone else represents him/her?

The list goes on. The issue is more complex than it seems at first glance.

Cynic wrote on 2011-09-22 19:45

Quote from EndlessDreams;595874:
It really depends on the situation. Does the patient rights triumphs the health care practitioner's rights? What if the person is deemed mentally unstable? Is the patient supposed to know more about his/her own health than the health care practitioner? How does assisted suicide work when the person doing the dying cannot speak for themselves, and someone else represents him/her?

The list goes on. The issue is more complex than it seems at first glance.

If you can't speak, they usually speak with their eyes. It's very easy to look into someone's eye and see if they're suffering, or whether or not they want it to end.

Doctors first priority is to their patients, not themselves. So if a patient wants to have assisted suicide, they are obligated to help. If not? Then they probably shouldn't be in such a field to begin with. There's no room for "Oh, but it doesn't make /me/ feel right.." unless the Doctor is the one dying, their moral opinion is worthless, as it should be.

If a patient is mentally unstable but in enough anguish, it's the right choice because it's merciful. If someone is in enough suffering, I can guarantee they wouldn't have to be legally sane to consent to putting themselves out of their misery.

Bride wrote on 2011-09-22 20:04

Quote from Conor;595766:
I think it should be legal, so long as they're like terminally ill or injured.

i agree. usually i can't stand suicide, but it's different for me under extreme circumstances like that ^

EndlessDreams wrote on 2011-09-22 20:42

Quote from Cynic;595896:
If you can't speak, they usually speak with their eyes. It's very easy to look into someone's eye and see if they're suffering, or whether or not they want it to end.

And what if their eyes are closed? What you are going to look then? You make it sound like there is a clear way to see someone's eyes and figure out a person's emotions with 100% accuracy. Different people read/interpret emotions differently.

Quote from Cynic;595896:

Doctors first priority is to their patients, not themselves. So if a patient wants to have assisted suicide, they are obligated to help. If not? Then they probably shouldn't be in such a field to begin with. There's no room for "Oh, but it doesn't make /me/ feel right.." unless the Doctor is the one dying, their moral opinion is worthless, as it should be.

What you are saying is that Doctors should be like puppet to their patients. They should risk their licenses, which they spent a good portion of their lives on, to help a patient would possibility illegal/immoral acts just because the patients wants it? If you never noticed, there are health care professionals that refuse to do things because it seem immoral and/or illegal to them. It is their right to use their professional judgement to decide what to do.

I highly doubt you ever want to be in any part of the health care industry. It doesn't sound like you actually worked in the health care industry either.

Quote from Cynic;595896:

If a patient is mentally unstable but in enough anguish, it's the right choice because it's merciful. If someone is in enough suffering, I can guarantee they wouldn't have to be legally sane to consent to putting themselves out of their misery.

So every depressed person wanting to die should be allowed to killed by assisted suicide? Doctors should give patients with mental problems an assisted suicide because they look like they are enough anguished?

Do the friends/family of the patient get a say in this as well? If the Doctor and friends/family don't want the person to undergo assisted suicide, and the patient wants undergo assisted suicide, the patient's desire triumphs all? What is patient wants, but can't afford? Who pays for it then? Insurance/Government?

When does assisted suicide crosses the line to become a murder? Who can perform the assisted suicide?

Also, there is a difference between assisted suicide, refusal of treatment, and letting the patient commit suicide by him/herself. All are different issues.

The assisted suicide issues are never black/white.

Here are some examples of different state laws for assisted suicide.
Most states are different in its own way.
http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000132

Chiyuri wrote on 2011-09-23 04:51

If you don't even have the right over your own life.. what freedom do you really have then?

Personnaly I agree with assisted suicide. But I disagree when it's someone else taking the desision for you.. You are the sole person who can choose to hand over your right for life. If some circonstances prevent you from saying it, you may only have regrets of not asking for it sooner.. Of course I also disagree with forcing people to assist in the suicide. But I am 100% sure there is plenty of people who could do it.. it wouldn't be hard to find. Forcing people to assist others in doing suicide is not a good feeling for the forced person.. Taking for example domesticated pets.. a lot of people who study to become doctors for pet and such don't do it to pass their days ending the life of the animals they so loved.. There is actually a lot of suicide rate within the people who work in that domain because they just can't stand it anymore..

starpaw7 wrote on 2011-09-23 05:08

:gloom3:

It is legal in some states in America, a quote from me in another thread:

[SPOILER="Spoiler"]

Quote from starpaw7:
By that, the legal side of it - although this only applies to being ill, I would be very tempted to do so (if the other consented)

Physician-assisted suicide is legal in some states. For the terminally ill, it is legal in the state of Oregon under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. In Washington state, it became legal in 2009, when a law modeled after the Oregon act, the Washington Death with Dignity Act was passed. A patient must be diagnosed as having less than six months to live, be of sound mind, make a request orally and in writing, have it approved by two different doctors, then wait 15 days and make the request again. A doctor may prescribe a lethal dose but may not administer it.

[/SPOILER]

In my mind, it has to be absolutely sure before any decision is made - and they have such a decision logically, not just you feel a bout of sadness.

Also the right reasons: [SPOILER="Spoiler"]say if my significant other who I have been committed to for decades becomes horribly ill, and with little to no chance of surviving or living life happily again (such as paralyzation).
If we both consented, I would ask for death along with them - I would have lived most of my life in happiness; it would be hard to find it again after that.[/SPOILER]

All in all, I agree if it is done for the right reasons, hence "mercy kill".

TA wrote on 2011-09-23 05:32

I agree with this:

Physician-assisted suicide is legal in some states. For the terminally ill, it is legal in the state of Oregon under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. In Washington state, it became legal in 2009, when a law modeled after the Oregon act, the Washington Death with Dignity Act was passed. A patient must be diagnosed as having less than six months to live, be of sound mind, make a request orally and in writing, have it approved by two different doctors, then wait 15 days and make the request again. A doctor may prescribe a lethal dose but may not administer it.

But not a "no questions asked" policy.