Debate: Should Euthanasia Be Legal?

[KrisKitten]

Euthanasia is the act of ending anothers life to relieve their suffering or pain.
Many illnesses can leave sufferers paralyzed, in unbearable pain or with a sense of hopelessness, and in these cases they may call on someone else to end their life for them because they are not able to, and they are ready for death. If the person agrees should they be prosecuted for doing so?
Or by legalising it do you open many to vunerability and end up legalising muder?
Discuss.

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[Charlotteee]

Yes, in certain circumstances.

I think if you have a terminal illness and your going to die eventually but through pain and drugs - i.e cancer, i think it should be.
And when it comes to hurting family members - If it was my mum i saw going through the pain, i wouldn't mind if she chose that as it would stop the pain x

 

[buttonnose82]

This is a tough one!

I think as long as there are strict strict guidelines and it only allowed legally in certain circumstances then yes it should be legal.

As long as it is something along the lines of, the person needs to be of sound mind when consenting, they need to have undergone intensive counseling (to ensure it really is what they want and not a result of a couple of bad days), it needs to be agreed by maybe a doctor & a judge, something like that

I also think it should be done medically (by a medical professional) because I would hate to have a family member live with it after/they might feel guilt for what happened if they were the ones that administered that last dose of whatever

I don't think it should be seen as a easy way out, only certain illnesses/diseases should be covered by the law and it should be regulated by an independent body.

 

[morri]

I am for it in specific cases. The cases would be terminal diseases like Cancer for example. If somebody knows they are going to die of terminal cancer , I think they should have the choice of deciding when they go . I have seen a documentary about somebody, with terminal cancer in the netherlands, and he had the option to choose how he will die, when and where. This was done by a medical only and I think it should be done with consultation of the doctor only. He agreed to it because he did not want to go through all the pain he would have in the final stages and he wanted his friends to remember how he was and not how he'd be if he waited till the cancer killed him on his own.
I don't agree to euthansia in terms of sorting out life , like embryonic selection(at least not if it is just as a lifestyle issue , I am undecided about organ/blood donor kids.
I agree to it though if the child has a serious condition that has a very low life expectancy. (But what I mean is basically I am against sorting out embryo because it will be male or female or because it will have brown hair etc)

 

[AppleBlossom]

I think in very certain circumstances, Euthanasia should be legal. If the patient is in much pain and suffering, has a very poor quality of life and is unlikely to recover from whatever illness they have then I think they should have the right to ask someone to help them end their life. It's THEIR life, imo they should be able to have a say in what happens in it. If I was dying of cancer, my prognosis was bleak and I had been given 3 months to live, I would rather get my goodbyes done when I knew I still could and then would want somebody to put me out of my misery so to speak. I don't see the point in watching someone dying slowly, begging for help and saying you can't give it to them.

 

[Blah11]

I'm going for no. Too many things can go wrong like a family pressing for it and presurising/guilt tripping the person who is ill. I think paliative care is the way to go and how it should stay.

 

[Chaos]

I think, yes, it should. But I think it's a fine line that's walked. It would have to be policed SO closely. For example, someone who is depressed and suicidal, to me is not an acceptable reason for Euthanasia. I know first hand and have sat on that cliff of depression wanting to go over, and yes it is a mental illness, but at the end of the day you still have your physical health, and that is something to be very thankful for, because so many do not have that. I also think (and believe they do) they should do mental evaluations of the person to ensure this is their choice. I'm sure such things are in place for the countries that allow this anyways.

I just watched a dear friend who was 34 be told he had 8 months to live due to stage 4 liver cancer that went to his brain. He had 2 kids under 6. It broke my heart to see this beautiful kind man be reduced to a shell of him self. In the end when it really took hold he was in hospice for over a month waiting to die while various things failed. That to me is not dignity. Someone should be given the choice to die with dignity if they want. Sometimes I think we're kinder to pets regarding suffering and illness.

It's sad that if someone is *so* ill, they want to stop the suffering, they actually have to go abroad to have the choice of Euthanasia. I, like a PP saw that documentary. There was nothing morbid or grim about it, in fact quite the opposite. It was beautiful, peaceful and dignified.

 

[Blah11]

I am for it in specific cases. The cases would be terminal diseases like Cancer for example. If somebody knows they are going to die of terminal cancer , I think they should have the choice of deciding when they go . I have seen a documentary about somebody, with terminal cancer in the netherlands, and he had the option to choose how he will die, when and where. This was done by a medical only and I think it should be done with consultation of the doctor only. He agreed to it because he did not want to go through all the pain he would have in the final stages and he wanted his friends to remember how he was and not how he'd be if he waited till the cancer killed him on his own.
I don't agree to euthansia in terms of sorting out life , like embryonic selection(at least not if it is just as a lifestyle issue , I am undecided about organ/blood donor kids.
I agree to it though if the child has a serious condition that has a very low life expectancy. (But what I mean is basically I am against sorting out embryo because it will be male or female or because it will have brown hair etc)

But a lot of people die not of the actual disease they have but of the infections and illnesses associated with the disease

 

[Charlotteee]

I am for it in specific cases. The cases would be terminal diseases like Cancer for example. If somebody knows they are going to die of terminal cancer , I think they should have the choice of deciding when they go . I have seen a documentary about somebody, with terminal cancer in the netherlands, and he had the option to choose how he will die, when and where. This was done by a medical only and I think it should be done with consultation of the doctor only. He agreed to it because he did not want to go through all the pain he would have in the final stages and he wanted his friends to remember how he was and not how he'd be if he waited till the cancer killed him on his own.
I don't agree to euthansia in terms of sorting out life , like embryonic selection(at least not if it is just as a lifestyle issue , I am undecided about organ/blood donor kids.
I agree to it though if the child has a serious condition that has a very low life expectancy. (But what I mean is basically I am against sorting out embryo because it will be male or female or because it will have brown hair etc)

But a lot of people die not of the actual disease they have but of the infections and illnesses associated with the disease

And thats what makes the death at the end so painful. If your told your cancer is terminal then you know that your going painfully or on drugs. I'd want to say goodbye in my normal frame of mind, and get my affairs in order x

 

[aob1013]

I think it should be made legal, yes. But it would have to be judged on individual circumstances.

 

[buttonnose82]

cancer can be a painless/peaceful death

it is quite rare really that it is painful/uncomfortable death

 

[Serene123]

Nope! Noway! I agree with Blah11

 

[Blah11]

Its a huge misunderstanding that people think those who are dying are in pain. Paliative care is when all pain is controlled, food is offered if they want it, but they stop treatment and they stop giving antibiotics and sometimes they stop pushing fluids but pain is always controlled.

 

[Chaos]

I am for it in specific cases. The cases would be terminal diseases like Cancer for example. If somebody knows they are going to die of terminal cancer , I think they should have the choice of deciding when they go . I have seen a documentary about somebody, with terminal cancer in the netherlands, and he had the option to choose how he will die, when and where. This was done by a medical only and I think it should be done with consultation of the doctor only. He agreed to it because he did not want to go through all the pain he would have in the final stages and he wanted his friends to remember how he was and not how he'd be if he waited till the cancer killed him on his own.
I don't agree to euthansia in terms of sorting out life , like embryonic selection(at least not if it is just as a lifestyle issue , I am undecided about organ/blood donor kids.
I agree to it though if the child has a serious condition that has a very low life expectancy. (But what I mean is basically I am against sorting out embryo because it will be male or female or because it will have brown hair etc)

But a lot of people die not of the actual disease they have but of the infections and illnesses associated with the disease

Yes, what you say is very true, BUT, I don't understand your point here?
If nothing can be done to prevent the advancement of the cancer, chemo, radiation, nothing works, it keeps growing .. causing infections, brain function to diminish, quility of life to be extremely compromised, in consent pain 24/7 because of these things? It may not be the actual cancer, but it is a direct cascade effect of it. Sorry if I'm not understanding you!!

 

[Blah11]

I know but if they died of a pneumonia b/c the immune system was so crap, does that come under the list of 'allowable' diseases/illnesses? It just wouldn't work.

 

[dani_tinks]

Having worked with a lot of cancer patients i'm going to say no. Pallitive care and hospices are there for a reason.

 

[buttonnose82]

see I kinda think of things like advanced parkinsons rather than cancer

Going from living a life being totally independent and active to being wheelchair bound, unable to feed yourself, drink yourself, wash or dress yourself, stand, not being able to communicate properly, but being totally there mentally, now that is what i am talking about when i say in certain circumstances. No amount of medication will give you the ability to walk again, talk again, feed, yourself or dress yourself.

it's heartbreaking to watch so god knows what it feels like to suffer with it

 

[Chaos]

cancer can be a painless/peaceful death

it is quite rare really that it is painful/uncomfortable death

You're quite correct .. it can be peaceful, but most of the time it aint. I've seen too many instances working with the older generation where it is not. Painless does not mean dignified. I saw my own grandpa basically suffocate in his own lungs due to lung cancer, until they gave out. My dear friend, despite being on narcotics was in pain every.single.day towards the end.

Working with older people, I've seen more people die than anyone should and I've seen what it does to the body (not only cancer but other illness too), how bad the pain really is towards the end, there is no dignity in that, it's certainly not how I'd want to go. The only time I've seen true peace on these peoples faces, is when they've actually gone.

 

[Chaos]

I know but if they died of a pneumonia b/c the immune system was so crap, does that come under the list of 'allowable' diseases/illnesses? It just wouldn't work.

I *think* the choice would go by the primary disease that is causing the cascade effect of all the other 'side effect' illness' iykwim? At least that would make the most sense to me?

 

[buttonnose82]

see I have watched 2 grandparents die of lung cancer in the past 3 years (1 was less than 2 weeks ago) they both had very dignified, painless and peaceful deaths.