Assisted suicide should be allowed

0

Suicide is frowned upon in most places around the world. People view suicide as morally wrong and make unjustified judgements about people who consider ending their lives. Unfortunately, this attitude towards suicide is why people are against physician-assisted suicide. The two are viewed the same, even though the circumstances are very different. If a person is in a hospital lying on his death bed, he should be entitled to end his life without harming the reputation of the doctor. Even though this form of treatment is viewed mostly negatively, it is becoming legal or being brought to the attention of the justice system in more places around the world.

Physician-assisted suicide is when doctors help patients end their own lives. According to the Death with Dignity National Center, the patient must be at least 18 years of age, terminally ill with only six months left to live, be able to communicate and make health care decisions, be a resident in a state allowing physician-assisted suicide and be able to self-administer the lethal dose of medication. These regulations allow physician-assisted suicide to be performed throughout the world, making it a more ethical and humane practice than previously viewed.

According to the editors of Biography.com, physician-assisted suicide did not become a major issue until the 1990s when Dr. Jack Kevorkian created the death machine with intravenous lines and the mercy machine with gas. Today, some European countries, Colombia, and four states in America allow doctors to practice physician-assisted suicide. According to a journal called The Economist, assisted suicide is said to be slowly leading toward widespread euthanasia but evidence shows schemes for physician-assisted suicide will be bolder. A fear among many people is that assisted suicide will make the care towards patients less valuable, but The Economist explains Switzerland, Belgium and Holland have some of the best palliative care, and physician-assisted suicide is legal there.

Physician-assisted suicide should not be viewed the same as suicide for many reasons, one being that suicides are usually driven by a mental illness and the patient has a lot longer than six months to live, whereas physician-assisted suicide is only preformed if the patient is in a mental state stable enough to make health care decisions. Another difference is when people get help by a doctor, they have to go through a long process before even being considered for the practice. This is why physician-assisted suicide is also called dying with dignity. The term, “suicide,” is viewed negatively by most people.

Assisted suicide is not to make people with depression have an easy way out. People who do not suffer from depression have a hard time really understanding it, but mental pain is just as painful as physical pain. Most people who suffer from depression, even though it is a mental illness, can still make decisions about life-altering treatments. Assisted suicide should be offered for those with a mental illness. Sometimes people are able to recover from depression, but not everybody. Mentally ill patients will still have to meet all the requirements of any other person who is receiving assisted suicide. Requirements are put into place for mentally ill patients, as well, so euthanasia does not become a problem.

Brittany Maynard, 29, died in peace because a physician was able to help her. Brittany was told by doctors she had a tumor in her brain and was expected to only live for about six more months to a year. Knowing this, she wanted to make sure she didn’t suffer as her condition continued to get worse. She also didn’t want to be a burden to her family, considering as she continued to get worse, the more help she would need from them. California doesn’t allow physician-assisted suicide, so they had to move to Oregon and become residents of the state, which was a long process. Before passing, Brittany said the prescription gave her a sense of relief and if she would want to change her mind, she could have the choice to do so. Patients can gain some closure just by knowing they have the right to end their lives in certain situations.

If people have the right to refuse life-saving treatment, people should also have the right to end their own lives. When writing a will, a person can determine whether or not he or she will remain on life support if something happens. If a will isn’t provided, family members have to make the health care decision and determine whether the person lives or dies. Ending life support is having a doctor end the life of a person because he is not able to live without the help of a machine. In cases where a person is terminally ill and is unable to live without the help of a machine, prescription drugs, the help of another human being, or some kind of assistance, the patient should be entitled the right to end his or her life and his or her doctor should be allowed to assist during the process.

People shouldn’t have to wait and wither away just because doctors are not able to assist them end their lives according to the law. Two New England doctors, Gary Blick and Ronald M. Levine, said they have had many patients come to them seeking assistance, but they are unable to provide the assistance desired. If they were to participate in the way the patients asked, they would be tried for manslaughter in the second degree. Two biggest reasons people seek assistance with physician-assisted suicide are agonizing pain and poor quality of life. A doctor should be able to medically treat a patient in a way found most suitable. A doctor should also not have to worry about going to jail because of the decision.

Competent adults are allowed to make many unalterable decisions: abortion or ending life support for a loved one. People deserve to be able to do the same over ending their lives. By doing it this way, people get to pick when and where their death happens and who is with them during the critical but hard time. Image a person dying under bright lights with strangers all around him or her versus dying peacefully with his or her family. Having the option of being comfortable while dying could make the process more bearable for individuals.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2016/04/web1_Carrie-Latham.jpg

By Carrie Latham

Student editorial

The writer is a student at Edison State Community College. This editorial was written to meet a class requirement.

No posts to display