For those who don't know, that's when a doctor, upon a dying patient's request, gives a patient what essentially is a lethal injection. People who get these are usually in their final days of life and in incredible pain.

So what is everyone's opinion on (doctor) assisted suicide?

since you said that the person is in their final days and in is in incredible pain. im totally fine with this "assissted suicide". if i were the person, i wouldnt want to live any longer, i admit that i wouldnt be able to handle the incredible pain, but of course i would want to see some of the people i care for before they finally put me to rest.

well, I want to clarify the different kids of doctor assisted suicide because there are multiple types. (or at least 2 I can think of)....

there is one where the doctor simply stops care. Turns a machine off or otherwise stops helping keep the person alive. While this may not be exactly assisted suicide it is allowing the person to die. I personally have no problem with this.... it's only become an issue in the last 50 or so years since we've developed the technology to actually keep people alive for extended periods of time.

The other kind I can think of at the moment is what Ziggy mentioned.... the doctor killing you before you actually die. You probably have a terminal illness and you will die eventually but would rather go in your sleep from an injection rather than suffer.

I guess you could also put a group of people in a clump that are not actually terminally ill but want to die and cannot do it themselves. Committing suicide is very difficult. If it weren't more people would be dead .

Anyway, I'll post more about what I think about all these later.... I just noticed this thread and felt like clarifying that the issue has several facets to consider.

If people want to kill themselves I say go for it, I could care less. The world is crowded anyway.
But one day one of them will off themselves and the very next day a permanent cure will be released.
Yeah, I'm a heartless SoB, but I'm not one to mince words alot

Interesting viewpoint, DH. Though it is possible that someone will go through with this one day before a cure comes out for whatever disease, the chances of that happening at any given time are so incredibly low


Also the phrase is "I COULDN'T care less. It's just one of those little things that bothers me

yeah, the argument that there -might- be a cure some day doesn't prevent people from dying in the end anyway... it's not like there is a cure for death.

I for one am all for allowing people to die. If you can find a doctor willing to do it then I don't see why not. Sure, I'd probably recommend that the person at least attempt to resolve whatever the issue is (except terminal illness) and try and set things straight, but if they insist after that then I don't see why not.

However, I also kind of feel like if you really wanted to die so badly then you would have found a way.

"If you can find a doctor willing to do it then I don't see why not"

there's where we have a problem. It seems that our government doesn't really like the idea of people who are suffering and have no will to live dying.

I'm for asisted suicide.

I did some work placement in a nursing home, surprisingly a few of the people I was with asked why they couldn't get assisted suicide as they were suffering (a little bit hard to understand as it was an Italian nursing home, but a nurse helped translate).

Apparently these people were still sound of mind and could do deductive reasoning, but their family members (daughters and sons mainly as most of them were widows) didn't want their parents to go, so they were lumped in a nursing home on machines or a nurse who would give them morphine every day that didn't dull the pain anymore.

Also I think its still going to take a while for governments to legalise assisted suicide in most places (eg. Australia).

Reasons why assisted suicide is a good idea:

1. Who wants to live with continuous pain for the rest of their life? And why would you want to go through agony dying in some hospital room?

2. Our world is over populated the way it is. Giving people who are sick the opportunity to relieve their pain and reduce world population at the same time would be doing great benefit to our society.

3. Why spend thousands of dollars on treatment that the doctors say will probably not be successful? We all end up paying for these treatments one way or another.

Some people may believe this is like abortion, but if an adult who is mentally stable makes the decision to end his/her life let them do it. I don't think anyone would advocate for killing yourself, but if the option is their and there are medical reasons for doing so, who are we to question that decision.

I like your last point especially. People who haven't had to experience circumstances like these shouldn't be making decisions for people who are. It isn't fair to make decisions on something you know nothing about

I agree with that too.

How can we possibly know what it would be like to be in a situation like that.

I personally think health care for people over 80 can be immoral. Some people that age just need to die and keeping them alive to live the lives they end up living is unfair. Sure, maybe they would suffer for a day while they died, but just let them die with some dignity.... don't force them to live another 5 years just because we can keep them alive.

What if the person is in a coma I mean that is like 50/50 chance and who knows when the person will wake up from it if they ever do. I would much rather have a plug pulled on me then be a veggie the rest of my life while spending my last moments in a hospital. Sucks $$$ is a big part of it all but money no matter how much you got can never end someones pain. We are all bound to die at some point. You can do everything you can to escape death but in the end... death will always win.

Well with someone in a coma, as the days go on, the chances of waking up diminish. After you've waited about a month, chances are that the person will never wake up. However, I think you should wait until there's a very low (say 5-10%) chance of waking up before letting someone in a coma die.
If you're on life support, typically it means you're being kept alive until your estate is in order. In that situation, let the person die, because they probably no longer want to live in their condition

I believe the more correct term you are looking for in this topic is Euthanasia.

There are so many good reasons for both sides of the spectrum, but I say no to it mainly because it can be abuse and as a matter of fact has been abused. I haven't talked on this subject in a while so sorry for my lack of evidence but the points I make is that when some people are sick, of course they feel back and give up hope and because of that they want to use euthanasia. When you know that possible chance of them living CAN happen, no matter if the chances are slim. The point of life is to live no matter what. Life everywhere has been doing that for millions of years. Terminally ill is hard yet, the fact of living is more rare in itself then death and relief. A person that is sick for the last days of their life and say they are 70. Why not live it till the end, no matter the pain? Because one thing is for sure, time will go on for eternity, 70 years compared to eternity is miniscule. Giving people the option to kill themselves through euthanasia is wrong for the rules of life. It is only right for the weak minded of the ill-bodied beings, which is a reason to not give them that option.

Sorry for my lack of evidence of abuse, if you wish to know more of what I have to say, please tell me and I will research more reasons. I'm just tired right now is all.

Well, you said there was abuse of it but gave no examples or evidence and just launched into your opinion. How about those examples?

I personally am for euthanasia. Most of the arguments that have been said here are the same ones that I agree with. However, like most others, I feel that it should be the option when there is no other choice left. I'm sorry, but if I am terminally ill, in a LOT of pain, and there is no chance of my getting better, why prolong the end? I'm too sick to do anything and seeing me this way only causes my loved ones more pain, which makes me feel worse. I'd rather go with some dignity.

With people in a coma, it depends. If there is no chance of them waking up, and it is specified in their will or some other written notarized document that it was their wish for them to be taken off life support and be allowed to die (ala the Terri Schaivo case), then let it happen. It was their wish, they made it clear, do not go against it.

That is one thing that does get to me. A lot of these cases where family members are fighting against living wills or the decisions of the patient are because they are selfish. Give any explaination you want, it still comes down to they are fighting letting them die because THEY do not want to have to deal with it. They don't care that the person is suffering, they don't care how much money it is sucking out of their bank accounts (unless they are paying for it). All they give a damn about is themselves, and I feel that is wrong.

Well, I gave no example because it was late at night when I was saying my opinion, because that's all this discussion is is opinion. It can go either way for any situation. In order to avoid even a little abuse of euthanasia then you'll have to cut it out entirely. As if euthanasia was never there. But anyways. There are examples of abuse.

"Many people support the right of a terminally ill patient to die - but what if the right becomes an obligation??? And what of the potential for abuse by impatient heirs???"
-http://www.euthanasia.com/mercy.html

That is a good point.

"A recent Dutch government investigation of euthanasia has come up with some disturbing findings. In 1990, 1,030 Dutch patients were killed WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. And of 22,500 deaths due to withdrawal of life support, 63% (14,175 patients) were denied medical treatment WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. Twelve per-cent (1,701 patients) were mentally competent but were NOT CONSULTED"
-http://www.euthanasia.com/mercy.html

That is a high number of people and that is just one place on this earth! It is found that if euthanasia is legal it will soon become an obligation.

Another good point made in the article, that I will not quote, is that people that are suffering pain wish to use euthanasia but not even realize that there are pain killers out there that can help them not feel the pain and enjoy some aspects of life in their dying days.

Another good point.

"Will pharmacists be obligated to sell a lethal dose of hemlock to anyone who is temporarily depressed?"
-http://www.euthanasia.com/mercy.html

"We need to think of the potential for abuse if mercy killing becomes legal. What if someone stands to inherit one million dollars when Aunt Gladys dies? Might the heir not find it tempting to nudge her in the direction of accepting a lethal injection? Or, if she didn't get the hint, to make her miserable enough to want it?

If voluntary euthanasia is made legal for "persons of sound mind" there will inevitably be tremendous pressure to provide it for those who "would request it if they were able to" - the mentally ill or handicapped, the senile, etc."
-http://www.euthanasia.com/mercy.html

This article is a good example of what has happened and what can be. I would agree that in some cases it would ok to use euthanasia, but the chances of abuse is much higher if it were to be an option. Especially with the world today the abuse would be much greater. The safest way to avoid all the abuse is to cut the option of euthanasia out entirely. It doesn't seem fair, but it makes it safe for others.

i thike it as the docter givig someone ther dieig wish becuse if some one is askig for it tthen thay are pobaley goig to pass on eney wahy some time soon and instide of waitig for the unavodable thay get it other and done with some thay dont hath to exseyince the sight of a loved one beside them wehen ther on ther deth bed and seeig all his/her lovd once cry as the last thig thay see

I dont see a problem as long as it what the patient wants. If the patient is in exteme pain and is asking for it to end and they are sure then i see no problem with it.

Originally posted by bejenjemin

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I dont see a problem as long as it what the patient wants. If the patient is in exteme pain and is asking for it to end and they are sure then i see no problem with it.

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Same here, because since the patient is asking for it to be relieved of all the pain then it is okay, anyways the patient him/herself is choosing to have it happen.

simply im fine with mercy killing with consent(thats what its called).