Euthanasia- should it be legal?

[steph.]

I was just wondering what people's views are on this. If you agree with it, in what circumstances? I read an article that said belgium have plans to amend the law to allow euthanasia of alzeimhers sufferers and children. How can that even be possible if they dont have capacity to give consent?!

Here's a link to the article. Its about a pair of twins that had a double euthanasia and the bit to amend the law is at the bottom:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/euthanasia-twins-had-nothing-to-live-for-20130115-2cq9z.html

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I'm for euthanasia. I'm not sure I agree with the law being extended to children but then I imagine it will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Alzheimer's sufferers should have the choice I believe, but again depending on the case. The only Alzheimer's sufferers I've known IRL have been capable of moments of clarity - I don't know enough about the disease to know if that's a part of it, but I don't think they should be denied outright.

It just must be such a difficult decision to make as a person, I can't imagine the physical and mental anguish one must go through to come to it - so then to be told that actually, you'd have to carry on suffering because someone else doesn't agree with you dying prematurely to save yourself a long, painful life of torment - it must be heartbreaking
If I was ever on the fence about it, that guy with locked-in syndrome who died last year (I can't remember his name atm), his reaction to being denied the right to die decided it for me. So sad

 

[Andypanda6570]

I do believe in it ,but on a case to case basis. My Grandmother died of Parkinson's, it was horrible, it just destroyed her and me watching her.

If a person is terminally ill and in pain yes I think it should be an option , why make anyone suffer if the outcome is ultimately death I just think it is cruel.

I think people are just different especially concerning children while I might want to hang on even if it is a small chance others may not or can't, so yes they should have the choice also, I think parents know what is best for their child.

It is just a hard topic, but I would choose it for anyone in my family who was suffering in any way and had no chance at a normal or at least functional life .. XO

 

[Button#]

I think it's too complicated to be a straight yes or no and should be case by case and there should be a lot of rigorous hoop jumping to stop people taking advantage of sufferers.

 

[LisaL79]

Case by case for sure.
Obviously hearing about anyone wanting to die is a bit weird to most people, but who really is anyone to say what that person should or shouldn't do with their life.

As the pp said... it's so complicated.

 

[Natsku]

Yeah obviously case by case but yeah it should be legal. My grandma died of Alzheimers. It was horrible, towards the end she had no quality of life at all, just lay on a bed all day and night not knowing what was going on. It was a relief when she finally died. But she definitely did have moment of clarity before that when she remembered who we were.

 

[cat lover]

case by case, but agree in principle if there is no quality of life

 

[staralfur]

Absolutely supportive of this under appropriate circumstances. What circumstances are appropriate is where it'll be difficult to get the laws in place, but I hope it's something that gets figured out. There was discussion about it being made legal in Canada recently, I'm curious to see where it goes.

 

[marley2580]

Depends if you're talking about euthanasia or assisted suicide. I am a strong supporter of the latter, but not so sure about the former. I think it should only really happen if the person has written a living will asking to be euthanised if 'x,y,z' happens

 

[Tasha]

I agree it should be made legal, by like others case by case.

 

[socitycourty]

I think it should be legal everywhere, don't know really about for children as it's a tricky ethical ground but for adults we should have the autonomy to choose ending our suffering, IMO

 

[steph.]

Depends if you're talking about euthanasia or assisted suicide. I am a strong supporter of the latter, but not so sure about the former. I think it should only really happen if the person has written a living will asking to be euthanised if 'x,y,z' happens

Yes marley i agree. Specially if someone doesnt have the capacity to make a decision at that point in time such as with alzeimher's i think they need to have it written down as people can take advantage. My mil for example, i wouldnt put it past her to euthanise her in-laws just to get their money.

For adults with full mental capacity that really have no quality of life i agree. In my 1st year out of medical school i came across a 40-something year old man who had fallen off a bike, and his 16 year old son had performed cpr on him at the scene. He was left quadriplegic, couldnt move anything apart from his head. He had been that way for 3 years, had tried going home but his wife hadnt been able to cope, so he had been living in a public hospital all that time. While i struggled for like an hour to get blood from him, he confided in me that he wanted to die, he had nothing to live for, and he felt he was a burden to his family. He got pneumonia about a month later and refused to receive antibiotics. He died shortly after, but his death would have been much more pleasant if he had been euthanised.

The twins in the article though i dont. As far as i can tell they hadnt become blind yet. Maybe if they had been refused the euthanasia they would have adapted to their new life...i dont know. There are so many people that feel that their life is over when they lose a limb, sight, hearing but then go on to lead full lives, find love, have children. If euthanasia becomes too easy then all these lives would be wasted.

For children its really hard i guess. I have come across children that i have thought would have been better off dead like the kids with severe cerebral palsy that cant move anything, have little mental capacity, and keep getting infections so are always in hospital getting poked and prodded. But giving another person the power to kill them doesnt sound right to me.

 

[LuckyYem]

I agree it should be on a case by case basis. My dad has Parkinsons he was diagnosed about 6 years ago, a year later he went to live in Canada with his Canadian wife. I get to see him once a year (we Skype but in person I mean) and each year it breaks my heart to see the person he was fade before our eyes. He was given a life expectancy of 15 years and as I have said 6 years have passed he can no longer use buttons, tie his laces, put his own jacket or shirt on, some days his tremors are that bad he can't hold a drink and it will only get worse. There is an implant called DBS (deep brain stimulation) which by coincidence when I worked for the NHS I used to apply for funding for (each stimulator is £26k excluding leads and upkeep) but dad has decided he doesn't want someone poking in his brain which is his choice as there is not guarantee that it will work for him. My dad is a very dignified man and hates asking people for help it must be awful for him asking his wife/daughter (if I'm there) to do a simple task for him. Yet if he was an animal (no comparison for a human I know) and we continued to let him suffer we would be prosecuted for animal neglect. Not that I'm saying my dad should ask for his life to be ended, but I think he should have the choice when enough is enough as his quality of life would never ever get any better only decline.

 

[lhancock90]

I'm for it, on a case to case basis.

 

[fannyadams]

I think it's too complicated to be a straight yes or no and should be case by case and there should be a lot of rigorous hoop jumping to stop people taking advantage of sufferers.

Agree with this. A whole panel of people should be involved in each decision.

 

[highhopes19]

Yes I think it should be legal, but as others said depending on each case x

 

[LuckyYem]

I think it's too complicated to be a straight yes or no and should be case by case and there should be a lot of rigorous hoop jumping to stop people taking advantage of sufferers.

Agree with this. A whole panel of people should be involved in each decision.

I agree with this in part, but when it comes to diseases such as Parkinsons where dementia often goes hand in hand people like my dad may not be able to give a clear case. Personally I would love my dad to live forever obviously that is not possible and having a time limit as such put on your life is awful. I would never ever want to be the one to utter those words to have my dads life ended but the reality is it will and if my dad could die with dignity, without pain and suffering if he asked me I would do it in a heartbeat. Obviously it's not clear cut and you will always get people trying to take advantage of situations. My dad has a DNR (do not resuscitate) in the UK on his medical notes I am unsure if he can/does have the same in Canada its a question I cannot bring myself to ask

 

[Broodypants]

Yes I think it should be legalised in the UK and treated on a case by case basis.

I think it should be restricted to individuals with terminal illnesses which will result in a lot of pain before they die, and they should be able to make that decision when they are of sound mind.

I don't think mental illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer's alone should be cause for that decision. As distressing as these are for families, and the individual's involved, I think there would be far too many problems determining when would be the right time for events to take place and it would be highly possible that certain family members etc would want things to end sooner due to inheritances and monies involved.

It's possible for sufferers of Alzheimer's and dementia to live a pain free life until they go, even if mentally they are impaired, and I don't think any family member has the right to make that choice for them.

 

[Jaylynne]

I struggle with this as I have a religious upbringing which would argue that we shouldn't play God. But, I can't imagine denying someone who is in constant untreatable pain with a terminal illnes the opportunity to die the way they would like and keep the suffering manageable. Perhaps it should be stated like a DNR when the person is lucid and has been reviewed by the estate lawyer.

I'd just be worried if it became legalized that family members would take advantage and pressure the patient to do something they may not truly be ready for.

 

[SabrinaKat]

I think there are several issues that previous posters have alluded to:

1) assisted suicide by coherent adults -whether by living will, do not resusitate order, etc. absolutely! I personally think that the two adult deaf men who 'killed themselves' were not right in their decision. (I put 'killed themselves' as it's actually a Christain concept, in the acient world, killing oneself by receving a 'sign from 'god' and or being faced with physical or mental anguish was considered completely acceptable, thereby the Roman idea of leaving the disgraced man alone with a dagger, etc, whereas in Christainity, it becomes a rejection of 'god')

2) TBH, I cannot agree with euthanasia in any form. If the person understands, then it becomes 'assisted sucide', but otherwise, it is not and in my opinion, if the person involved cannot assist in the decision making, then no. This is a tricky one, because a 1 year doesn't have the cognitive ability to argue their case for life or death, but for children, I just couldn't. What if there was extreme suffering or a vegative state and then, we come into an even more grey area - what is rational thought and what is existence? thereby, leading to no. 3

3. Vegative state or aware? If in a vegative state, please let me go. My OH disagrees - he wants to stay in his physical form as long as possible in the hopes of finding a cure of what sent him into that vegative state. However, in that instance -- of a vegative state, then perhaps euthanasia is acceptable as the person (with at least 2 or 3 medical personnel agreeing, NOT the family), isn't actually a 'person' anymore -- that the soul (if you believe in that) has already escaped.

I hope I haven't offended anybody, but I do think it is a case-by-case situation and in mine, let me go -- but make it MY decision!

best wishes