Euthanasia. For humans.
I am always getting email about the social stuff I avoid in the media. I believe this is because I’ve signed online petitions for causes I believe in. Now I’m inundated with all of them and have the annoying task of deleting at least a dozen every day. Unsubscribe button is there but doesn’t stop the flow. So, euthanasia. Don’t know what the law is in the US, but in the U.K. it’s illegal. Big deal, you say. You’re dead, how can the government punish you? They take it out on anyone in the U.K. who assists a suicide in any way. A person that loves someone who is terminal and has to watch them wither away in pain and often vegetative or bordering on it. Reading the stories written by people who wanted a dignified and painless death for themselves or a loved one made me cry. Then it made me furious. Not everyone can afford to go to Dignitas. In the few European countries where assisted suicide is available, the cost can be as high as £10,000. Assuming the person is of sound mind, or has written a notarised letter as personal request when that person was of sound mind. I was asked if I would support this organisation. I can’t financially support any new charity now. My daughter is a copywriter for many well known charities. I could try my hand at submitting a piece supporting their work. My mother died of early onset dementia. Many times she asked my dad to take her out of what she knew was down the line. He couldn’t. Not because of the law, he couldn’t end the life of anything bigger than a fly. I believe some US states have some kind of heavily regulated euthanasia policies, but no facts. I never thought of researching it until now. What are your opinions?
I’m absolutely in favor of it.
Over the past couple of years, I have experienced enough pain on several occasions to seriously look into my options. I’m comforted knowing that euthanasia is legal in my state. (Now if we could just legalize pain relief.) I’m sure there are many others who are worse off than me.
Making people suffer during a painful and drawn out death is appalling to me. Punishing those who try to help is immoral.
Yes, if it’s a terminal illness. When my dad was terminally ill they administered morphine intravenously because he was in pain and suffering. It put him in a deep sleep that lasted 3 days till he passed away. That was 11 years ago. I still vividly remember how he died.
They just passed the euthanasia laws this year here in Australia, N.S.W. later on in the year.
I’m 100% for personal freedom. As long as you’re an adult over some arbitrary age of consent that changes from place to place, you should be able to do whatever you want with yourself that won’t harm others: date/sleep/marry whomever, smoke whatever, abort, and, of course, end your life if circumstances become too painful for you. No one else should interfere in most too-personal matters, be them individuals or the state.
They’ve just legalized it in New Mexico. There are strict stipulations which may make it impossible for someone with looming dementia, though: you must be mentally competent to make your own decisions, able to self-administer the drugs, and have a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less to live. Two doctors have to attest to your eligibility. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis, even if it is terminal, often has a much longer prognosis and by the time you’re likely within six months of death, you’re also likely not to be legally competent to make the decision. I can’t see much of a way around that, though. I don’t want to see a society where anyone could make the decision for somebody else.
I do agree most definitely. While my family has been lucky enough so far, some people in my social circle have had to watch their elderly relatives wither away in agony without dignity. Causes terrible grief on top what is already sorrowful to begin with.
The discussion pops up here in Finland every now and then and I’d imagine euthanasia reaches a legal approval in a decade or two.