The legal status of euthanasia : should it be legal or illegal ?

[aneeshm]

Not wanting to drag the trans fats thread off-topic , there is another thread to discuss the legal status of euthanasia and whether it shoudl be legal or illegal .

Discuss .

 

[Moss]

It should be legal...if a person *fully competent* feels no need to continue his life because of reasons that we may never understand...I will comply with it.

However, strict rules and regulations should apply.

 

[h4ppy]

It should be illegal because people should not be allowed to commit suicide, even if they have nothing to look forward to but pain.

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

I'd make it illegal. Plain and simple.

 

[MSTK]

Why can't you just get a gun and shoot yourself? It'll save yourself the paperwork.

 

[Shadylookin]

legalize it. If someone doesn't want to live why make them suffer and waste valuable resources on them?

 

[Shadylookin]

Why can't you just get a gun and shoot yourself? It'll save yourself the paperwork.

I imagine because most people that would consider it probalby don't have function of their arms or the ability to leave the hospital to purchase a gun.

 

[Goober]

Legalize it.

This is a democracy, if a person chooses to die, they will either throw themselves off a bridge, and incur all kinda nasty side-effects, legal costs, investigation costs, a shattered family, or die peacefully, with everyone knowing of their intentions.

It would need to be planned well, so someone does not randomly commit suicide, there would need to be a long process to go through, so you could change your mind. Also, the terminally ill, as long as they are still mentally competant, should also be allowed Legal Suicide.

*waits for right-wingers to quote from the bible*

 

[Winner]

Of course it should be legal.

Life is ours and we should have the right to end it. But euthanasia should remain only for seriously ill, suffering people, because it is suicide WITH ASSISTANCE.

 

[naervod]

It should be legal. It is up to a person whether they want to continue their life or not (of course, then person should be fully understanding of their decision).

 

[Steph]

There is a debate today at the French "Assemblee Nationale" (our parliament if you prefer) on this very topic.

The proposed law will give the right to someone to get his "end of life". It means he can request to stop any treatment, save for pain killer.
For people who are in terminal phase and have a limited time, it should be granted easily.
For people who are a non curable disease and live through medical assistance, but could last relatively long, it"s still possible to end the treatment, but with some conditions, like meeting with different medical staffs, and confirming his will after some period of time.

However, this is still limited to "natural death", euthanasia itself is still forbidden

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

Generally not legal.

I think "natural death" is OK where one doesn't accept medical assistance and certainly believe those like the woman in Florida who is basically a vegatable state should be allowed to die. Also for those who are terminally ill and living in extreme pain. Quality of life is important.

However, just the 'I'm old and useless' idea of euthanasia is repugnant to me. Having taken care of elderly family members, they tend to believe they are just a burden and useless at some point. In less caring families, these folks could be encouraged to 'commit euthanasia', which I find bordering on evil.

 

[Plexus]

There's certainly more of a case for euthanasia than abortion, as these people's lives are being ended at their own volition.

I remain undecided over euthanasia, but the ending of human life should never be taken lightly, no matter the circumstances.

 

[Elrohir]

Illegal. Human life is to valuable to throw away, especially when most people who are suicidal are just depressed and just need to see a psychiatrist.

 

[Scuffer]

It should be up to the citizens of a particular nation to vote on it themselves. The argument is too complicated legally and morraly for there to be any kind of outright answer here. I'd vote 'yes' if I had the chance, with the conditions that the person be competent to this decision and terminally ill.
It would help rule out people trying to get rid of burdonsome family members, and suicidal people. Just think what might happen to goth music otherwise? Disaster.

 

[Iggy]

Of course it should be legal.

Life is ours and we should have the right to end it. But euthanasia should remain only for seriously ill, suffering people, because it is suicide WITH ASSISTANCE.

The bold words are the key here.

 

[Mise]

First of all, why should they need to fully understand their decision? We do lots of things without fully understanding the consequences. Like smokers -- I doubt if many of them FULLY UNDERSTAND the consequences of smoking. Same with every day decisions, such as what food I'll eat tonight. I might get sick from it -- should we make that illegal too?

No, I think there'll have to be a better rationale for making euthanasia legal than to simply "fully understand" it. I don't think anyone fully understands the consequences of their actions in the grand scheme of things...

Secondly, I don't really mind people killing themselves. But I could never/would never help someone to die. And I don't think it's fair to put doctors or family members in that predicament. Add to that the fact that someone is actually killing someone else, and I think assisted suicide should remain illegal.

Thirdly, like I said, I don't really mind people killing themselves, so if they want to do that, then that's up to them really. They're too crippled to do it themselves, you say? Bugger.

 

[Godwynn]

Legal of course. How does a politician have more power over your life than you do?

 

[Elrohir]

First of all, why should they need to fully understand their decision? We do lots of things without fully understanding the consequences. Like smokers -- I doubt if many of them FULLY UNDERSTAND the consequences of smoking. Same with every day decisions, such as what food I'll eat tonight. I might get sick from it -- should we make that illegal too?

No, I think there'll have to be a better rationale for making euthanasia legal than to simply "fully understand" it. I don't think anyone fully understands the consequences of their actions in the grand scheme of things...

Secondly, I don't really mind people killing themselves. But I could never/would never help someone to die. And I don't think it's fair to put doctors or family members in that predicament. Add to that the fact that someone is actually killing someone else, and I think assisted suicide should remain illegal.

Thirdly, like I said, I don't really mind people killing themselves, so if they want to do that, then that's up to them really. They're too crippled to do it themselves, you say? Bugger.

Personally I'd much rather have people jumping off bridges so much that we need to establish City Cleanup Forces than have assisted suicide. They tried that in the Netherlands, and it didn't work. Human life was so devalued that doctors started making the decisions for themselves. (Half of Dutch Doctors admit that they've given lethal injections without the consultation of the patient, contrary to Dutch law....and yet none of them have been charged, even with their own confessions as evidence)

 

[andrewgprv]

legalise it