Right to die?

[AppleBlossom]

I just read an article about Sir Terry Pratchett considering going to Switzerland for an "assisted suicide" after going there with somebody as part of a BBC documentary that is on tonight which shows a man drinking a series of lethal toxins to end his life.

Where do you stand on the euthanasia debate? Do you think that we have a right to decide our own fate in certain circumstances? Or do you believe that it is wrong and not something that should ever be introduced here? Also what do you think of people who help those who wish to die? Should they be prosecuted and sent to prison for respecting the wishes of a loved one?

 

[LoraLoo]

I'm not sure whether to watch the programme or not, I want to, but think it will be too upsetting.

I think like you say theres 2 different things there-Legal Assisted suicide and 'Illegal'. I dont think there should be such thing as 'Illegal' as i think the laws should be changed so that people can go somewhere , or maybe a Dr come to their home, and pass as peacefully and dignified as possible. Obviously there would have to be lots of rules on this (they are sound state of mind etc, terminal illness, no quality of life, and so on)

But to ask a loved one to help you do, I think is wrong. I understand they must be so desperate to ask but I think it is very selfish to put someone in that position, whether its what the person wanted or not, the person who assisted is going to have to pay the price and deal with the consequences, and i dont just mean prison, I mean the guilt that will inevitably come with it, wondering if they did the right thing etc. They will have to live with knowing they took somebodys life, for the rest of their life and i dont think thats fair xx

 

[Lightworker]

I am a big respector of the sanctity of life. I don't believe suicide is right in any way. I totally get why people do this, moreso in degenerative conditions etc, but I don't believe it is right. I believe we experince things to learn lessons, and suicide is escaping the lesson. I definitely think that anyone who assists the suicide is also unethical, but again, I can see why they do it.

 

[marley2580]

I'm a strong believer in the right to die. I'll be watching tonight.

 

[mum22ttc#3]

I pretty much agree with all LoraLoo says in her post.

I do agree that it should be down to an individual whether they choose to die or not but that it would need to be very strict. I also think that if it were allowed and made legal then it would take away the need for loved ones to help and assist.

While I think its wrong for loved ones to help and assist and something I know I could never do myself, I dont think it should carry a prison sentence and would never judge a person for doing so. As long as the person who choose to die was in sound mind then ultimatly it was their decision.

 

[Nibblenic]

I am a very strong believer in the 'right to die'. Most of my family have died of cancer and if you lived past that you get alzimers.

My great Aunt had bowel cancer in the 60s and was 'killed' by our old GP (now passed himself so I dont worry about writting that). We as a family know that in her last days he gave her a 'overdose' of morphine to easy her along.
Roll forward to 2006 her brother, my great uncle having the same bowel cancer was left alive in agony, sometimes hysterical for 3 whole weeks. Why? Cos Drs are no longer allowed to even quietly help people along. There have been some really high profile cases that have put an end to some people being helped to die with some dignity and peace.

I do not think we should be trying preserve life at all costs. Yes Drs should do no harm, however letting people linger without quality of live and their loved ones having to deal with those horrific final stages IS harmful.

In some cases people should have the right to die. Everyone wants to die happy, die in peace. Why not let people do that and have the choice to do that without innocent people who are left behind having reprocutions for thier help.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I'm for the right to die also. I don't see what good it does anybody to live with a terminal, degenerative and most of the time, painful illness. The person with the illness suffers, having to go through pain, take medication to only delay the inevitable. Their loved ones have to watch them suffer knowing they can't do anything to help. I think in the right circumstances, it should be a practise here in the UK.

 

[LoraLoo]

I'm for the right to die also. I don't see what good it does anybody to live with a terminal, degenerative and most of the time, painful illness. The person with the illness suffers, having to go through pain, take medication to only delay the inevitable. Their loved ones have to watch them suffer knowing they can't do anything to help. I think in the right circumstances, it should be a practise here in the UK.

I agree, when somebody is on life support and has no quality of life etc they allow for the machines to be turned off, medication to be withdrawn etc. I dont see why Assisted suicide is much different except it would be the individuals choice, which surely should be acceptable, if our next of kin can make the decision for us in situations like that?

 

[Jess137]

I'm for the right to die also. I don't see what good it does anybody to live with a terminal, degenerative and most of the time, painful illness. The person with the illness suffers, having to go through pain, take medication to only delay the inevitable. Their loved ones have to watch them suffer knowing they can't do anything to help. I think in the right circumstances, it should be a practise here in the UK.

I agree, when somebody is on life support and has no quality of life etc they allow for the machines to be turned off, medication to be withdrawn etc. I dont see why Assisted suicide is much different except it would be the individuals choice, which surely should be acceptable, if our next of kin can make the decision for us in situations like that?

I agree with all of the above.

 

[Lightworker]

Just a question, what about children with degenerative diseases, do you believe in euthanasia for them? Or just adults?

 

[Parkep]

I also agree with the right to die. As far as children, that I cant say what ages are we talking about?

 

[Nibblenic]

Just a question, what about children with degenerative diseases, do you believe in euthanasia for them? Or just adults?

I personally believe that it has to be an adults OWN decision regaurding thier death. SO as children are not adults I dont think they have the ability to decide for themselves, however ill go a little more in depth

I think children is a much tougher one to deal with. If my daughter (who is perfectly healthy) all of a sudden had a accident that resulted in her being on life support with very limied brain function I would turn that off and allow her some peace.
If she was born with a health problem that meant her life would be shorter or limited I would want her to live and be all she could become.
If she say developed cancer I would ofcourse want her to fight it and try to beat it. I think everyone would want a young person to do that. HOwever if it became clear she was never going to recover and that she was suffering I would rather that was stopped at a matter of days than allowed to drag out for weeks or even longer.

I see 'the right to die' as shorening that very final stage. Where this is no coming back just shortening te distance they need to travel

 

[LoraLoo]

Just a question, what about children with degenerative diseases, do you believe in euthanasia for them? Or just adults?

I think it needs to be the persons choice, and for them to fully understand the consequences. I have just had some stuff sent out to me on Child Bereavement and it says that children under 7 think death is reversable, that they will just magically appear. Children 7-12 understand death is final but probably wont understand the consequences it has on those around them etc, and that its only when a child reached approx age 12 that they realise what death is.
So for me, I think a 'child' would have to be at least over 12 for those reasons. But again, seems really unfair to sit and watch a child suffer if they are terminally ill etc, when if it was animal, we wouldnt see it in such pain and would have taken it to the vets (not comparing a child to an animal by the way, just seems a bit twisted that a Dog currently has more rights here than a Human being)
I feel that there is a massive grey area here too- what do you class as a terminal illness, what is no quality of life? Because that is going to differ person to person. Could somebody with life long depression who doesnt want to be here be classed as having no quality of time and a terminal illness?
Would they have to pay for it, as they do in other countries? Because then its a case of suffering and possibly dying a painful death because you cant afford it, or slipping away peacefully, when you choose, because you can? Or would it be done on the NHS? xx

 

[Nibblenic]

It could be subsidesed by the NHS baised on means testing.

I mean there will be a high cost to the NHS in terms of treatment at the end of a terminal illness so I dont think it would be an additional cost to the NHS just moving around money. I wouldt like to think of it as a money saving exersize however that may well be the case in reality. NOt that obviously should be done in a money saving way!

 

[LoraLoo]

It could be subsidesed by the NHS baised on means testing.

I mean there will be a high cost to the NHS in terms of treatment at the end of a terminal illness so I dont think it would be an additional cost to the NHS just moving around money. I wouldt like to think of it as a money saving exersize however that may well be the case in reality. NOt that obviously should be done in a money saving way!

Get you! xx

 

[Linzi]

I just watched this on catch up and I feel torn over it tbh...

I def think that it is a persons right to choose when they want to die, providing they are in a right state of mind. i did not agree with the owner of Dignitas' views that you should be able to choose to die if you are "weary of life". I've suffered depression & at that time if someone had offered me that choice, Id very honestly say I would have done it, and I wouldn't be here now - when I'm over the worst and built my whole life to live.

The two men they showed in the programme were very calm and sure that was what they wanted, and I think that rather than having a very painful undignified life until the end, if they thought the right thing to do was to go & end their life peacefully & at their own moment then why not. The man they showed in the film died very peacefully and not how I would have imagined that situation to be at all. Two very brave people.

Having said that, I can't EVER imagine being in the position where my husband/child/parent/sibling/grandparent etc wanted to make that choice & be entirely supportive of it. I think the hardest thing to watch about that film (selfishly) is putting myself in the wife's position and thinking that I would never be able to do that for my husband... I wish I could because it's selfless & would be whats best for him, but honestly & selfishly I couldn't help him do it.

So I don't know really. While I agree with it now, if I was put in the position I think I would probably think otherwise...

 

[mum22ttc#3]

Just a question, what about children with degenerative diseases, do you believe in euthanasia for them? Or just adults?

Could somebody with life long depression who doesnt want to be here be classed as having no quality of time and a terminal illness?

I dont think somebody with depression should be allowed to choose whether or not to die as I dont really agree that they would be doing it in sound mind. I have someone close to me who suffers with severe depression and at times when it is at the worst I know they would choose this option, yet when they are feeling ok it is something they wouldnt consider iykwim
I dont think it is an illness that is always 'terminal' (even though I know in some cases it may be) and that the sufferer can still life a good quality of life.
Just my opinion though

 

[LoraLoo]

Just a question, what about children with degenerative diseases, do you believe in euthanasia for them? Or just adults?

Could somebody with life long depression who doesnt want to be here be classed as having no quality of time and a terminal illness?

I dont think somebody with depression should be allowed to choose whether or not to die as I dont really agree that they would be doing it in sound mind. I have someone close to me who suffers with severe depression and at times when it is at the worst I know they would choose this option, yet when they are feeling ok it is something they wouldnt consider iykwim
I dont think it is an illness that is always 'terminal' (even though I know in some cases it may be) and that the sufferer can still life a good quality of life.
Just my opinion though

I agree with this My brother in law killed himself last Sept, he was 25 but suffered from Bi Polar from 18, and the Coroner would not rule suicide, but 'death caused by his own actions' because like you say, he was not in sound state of mind But I sometimes wonder if ANYBODY who commitas suicide is. Surely the people that are wanting to die with assistance, are depressed to some level? xxxx

 

[Scamp]

I didn't watch last night, thought it might be too upsetting. But I did watch the debate afterwards.
I do agree with it, as long as the person is of sound mind it should be up to them. I think some people see it as dying with dignity, and if that's what they want then why not.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I think that it should be a personal decision and euthanasia should only be carried out if the person themselves consents so no, I don't think it should apply to young children