Assisted Suicide - should it be legalised?

[Albumen]

Should it be legal in the UK?
Should we be allowed to decide when we die?
Should our loved ones be congratulated rather than punished for helping?

Of course the answer is yes but feel free to think for yourselves and discuss.

 

[The Birdman]

Felt like that after the Palace play off game but I over that now.

 

[leigull]

I do think people should have the choice. But worried that some may feel pressured into the decision by feeling they are a burden on their family and those supporting them, so not sure about making it legalised.

 

[Surf's Up]

Yes, but it will need to be very carefully and closely regulated.

 

[Hamilton]

Voted yes, but boy would it need some massive regulation etc. Lawyers would have a field day.

 

[Machiavelli]

There is a name for it, it's called euthanasia. The case for it becomes ever more compelling the longer we live as is now the case and, more importantly, with medical advancements that can extend life. That said, as Hamilton indicates, the regulation should be as tight as it comes. That is, about as tight as the financial sector should be subjected to.
The past 30 years has painted regulation as a dirty word. It's due a rehabilitation.

 

[Peteinblack]

I find the hypocrisy of politicians who oppose this absolutely infuriating; we keep being told about the importance of 'choice' for patients (the mantra behind every reform of the NHS for the last 25 years), yet the same politicians want to deny the ultimate choice to patients; the right to decide, in the face of terminal and/or unbearably painful and debilitating incurable illness, that enough is enough, and one want to be spared any more agony and misery.

If/when I succumb to a terminal or excruciatingly painful and incurable illness, I want to make the decision over ending my life, not be told that I must carry on suffering by arrogant politicians or priests

 

[Rugrat]

Yes but under the strictest of guidelines.

I'm fairly certain it will be "legalised" one day, for no other reason than the cost of keeping people alive and the cost of maintaining a pension system for trillions of old uns.

The big problem for me is that once guidelines are put in place then they have the potential to be relaxed over time .. and that might look a bit scary if you take it to what might be considered a reasonable extreme

 

[Footsoldier]

Yes. If you've got a terminal illness like Cancer etc. We put down our pets when they are ill to stop the suffering so why not humans. If I was terminally ill then I'd like to go before suffering terrible pain and also wouldn't like my family to have to witness it either.

 

[supaseagull]

I've worked in the Life Insurance industry and the biggest issue with assisted suicide is that an individual cannot benefit financially from the death of another person.

The law needs to deal with this issue before it considers legalising AS.

For what it's worth, I believe that in exceptional circumstances, people should be allowed to die with dignity.

 

[Albumen]

Any discussion from the nay sayers? Is your opinion solely religion-based?

 

[Albion_Dave]

Yes definitely. The amount of pain and suffering some people have to go through is shocking.

 

[Commander]

My father in law is in the final stages of pancreatic cancer at the moment, I'd be surprised if he lasted the week. The time for him to die was about two months ago, before it got to this horrific stage. He should have been able to make that decision.

 

[gazingdown]

Goes against the doctor's hippocratic oath so unfair to ask them to do the "assisting".

More effort/money should go into palliative care.

Personally, I support the individual's right to live/die (no-one wants to see relatives suffer), however I can see the issue of how it's implemented - you won't get many doctors "doing the deed" and you can't let relatives/friends do it as it needs to be tightly controlled (they don't want to get done for murder after all!) so who from "the state" administers the lethal dose etc.?

 

[Albumen]

My father in law is in the final stages of pancreatic cancer at the moment, I'd be surprised if he lasted the week. The time for him to die was about two months ago, before it got to this horrific stage. He should have been able to make that decision.

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Commander]

I'm sorry to hear that.

Thanks. To be honest he's gone on about six months longer than anyone expected, but that's partly why it seems so wrong that he has to put up with what he's going through now, the time for it to end for him was months ago. It's actually astonishing what the human body can take and still stay alive, it seems wrong somehow.

 

[cjd]

Any discussion from the nay sayers? Is your opinion solely religion-based?

No, my decision is anything but religion based.

Assisted suicide will become an increasingly talked about subject though....and rightly so.

There are of course many people with terminal illness, suffering horrendous and long term pain who would welcome the choice. However, there are many more who are suffering mildly, but with pain relief and a little assistance can continue with some quality of life. The fear of informing family or doctors of concerns re;pain and then resulting in the possibilty that 'euthanasia' will be encouraged, will deter them from seeking help.

A far more less intrusive way of helping many more people..(obviously, particularly the elderly), would be to greatly expand the number of 'pain specialists' and invest more money in pain relief medication.

Excessive and continual pain is far more likely to make someone consider 'assisted suicide' than immobility.

 

[theboybilly]

I voted Yes, and like others hope it would be properly regulated.

 

[Trevor]

I think it should be legalised.

If this was done then an appropriate support system can be put in place.

 

[Albion_Dave]

Yes definitely. The amount of pain and suffering some people have to go through is shocking.