Should assisted suicide be legal (for everyone)?
- Thread starter dowie
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There are many reasons why people commit suicide and many different though processes behind it - those that commit suicide in that manner will still do so because of reasons like not thinking they can go through with it otherwise, some last wishes like a certain view, etc., wanting to make a statement or even just wanting people to be inconvenienced as some kind of last revenge, etc. and many many more that I probably can't even imagine - I don't think it will stop that side of it or reduce it much.
Unfortunately this statement is a complete load of rubbish. They give people just enough medication that they are not "agitated" whilst they die a slow, painful, traumatising death.
You weren't out clapping then?
It's sort of like the argument with abortion... people are going to do it anyway, with worse consequences to all involved.
At least with an official institution you can possibly catch people and attempt to dissuade them from going through with it. Can't be any worse than finding someone hanging from a fixture, at the bottom of a river or starving themselves to death. Not sure how successful it would be in that regard, I want to ere on the side of optimism though.
Obviously it would need some hefty regulation, in particular I would say that it should not occur without the person explaining the reason(s) for why they believe it's their only option to their family/friends. Provide as much barriers as possible with the incentive of painlessness and I should hope it would actually save some people from opting to do it themselves.
Maybe this opinion is naive, but something has to give... too many people with decades left to live are irrationally deciding to end it and it's pushing their families/friends into illness. It's a contagion and should be dealt with as such.
At least with an official institution you can possibly catch people and attempt to dissuade them from going through with it. Can't be any worse than finding someone hanging from a fixture, at the bottom of a river or starving themselves to death. Not sure how successful it would be in that regard, I want to ere on the side of optimism though.
Obviously it would need some hefty regulation, in particular I would say that it should not occur without the person explaining the reason(s) for why they believe it's their only option to their family/friends. Provide as much barriers as possible with the incentive of painlessness and I should hope it would actually save some people from opting to do it themselves.
Maybe this opinion is naive, but something has to give... too many people with decades left to live are irrationally deciding to end it and it's pushing their families/friends into illness. It's a contagion and should be dealt with as such.
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My wife is an NHS nurse who works with Covid-19 patients.
Does she "give people just enough medication that they are not "agitated" whilst they die a slow, painful, traumatising death"?
She does not as she is a research nurse. However, I have recent personal experience where that has been the case.
In fact, I can think of three close members of family off the top of my head where this has occurred.
I'm sorry to hear you've had an unpleasant personal experience but it's unlikely a reflection of the whole NHS.
I think it is a reflection of NHS policy for patients under palliative care.
As another poster put it, "We put animals down but let humans suffer until the bitter end."
Soldato
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Aren't you both saying the same thing? The NHS isn't doing well with its death pathways?
Possibly - it looked like the "in" was a typo taking into account the context of the following sentence.
Associate
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Yes to assisted dying.
The NHS being crap and potentially screwing it up isn't a reason not to have it. It's another reason to not have the NHS.
The NHS being crap and potentially screwing it up isn't a reason not to have it. It's another reason to not have the NHS.
Soldato
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Yes.
Can someone explain the difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia. Is the former where a doctor would give you some pills that you have to take to end your life, versus the latter where they would probably inject you with a fatal drug to end your life.
It's semantics really, but it interested me after an episode of greys anatomy showed the doctor helping a patient with assisted suicide. Which I thought was illegal in the US (Euthanasia), but it turns out that euthanasia is illegal, but assisted suicide is legal in some states.
It's semantics really, but it interested me after an episode of greys anatomy showed the doctor helping a patient with assisted suicide. Which I thought was illegal in the US (Euthanasia), but it turns out that euthanasia is illegal, but assisted suicide is legal in some states.
Soldato
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Yes from me, with of course proper safeguards and ensuring the person is of sound mind.
I agree with this statement.
I agree with this statement.
What do you mean 'wrong message'? Also if people want to end their lives (for whatever reason) who are we to stop them? Also what do you think the impact will be?
The safeguards are always the arguments against, "Muh Shipman!". It seems an easy problem to solve, sign off from two doctors in a hospital and maybe the GP as well. If all sign offs aren't in place the doctors are prosecuted for murder / manslaughter.
I was thinking more in terms of ensuring people aren't being pressurised into making a decision to end their own life (think elderly family members and inheritance, or abusive relationships).