Should voluntary euthanasia be legalised?

[Insel affe]

Yes, understood. If he requires assistance in order to take that step in a dignified and painless manner, that part is a given.

My point is that, without that dignified option being available and legal, it can drive people (out of fear of incriminating a loved one) to take far less dignified steps, putting others in the way of danger and trauma.

This is the correct, in my opinion we hear of people diagnosed with cancer and other illnesses taking their own lives to avoid the long drawn out pain and heartache to others. I would certainly consider this as an option if god forbid I was ever diagnosed with a terminal illness that meant I would suffer in pain, that is something I do not want to happen. I would also take into account the collateral damage so to speak ie not a train or jump in front of a van or lorry.

 

[papajaff]

Never really thought of this until my lovely Mum was dying right in front of my eyes 30 years ago. She turned to me one evening and said that she wished she could go there and then and she wished that I could end her life for her.
And if it had been legal, I would have been honoured to carry out this wish for her. She really did end her days in so much pain and it was terrible to watch.
She was just 67 and that 30th anniversary is on 6th April. Never will I forget her words and these words are quite painful to type even after all this time.

So yes, for me it is very wrong that legalised euthanasia is still banned.

 

[Brovion]

Yes. It's one of the most fundamental of Human Rights. It's your life, it doesn't belong to anyone (or anything) else and you should be allowed, as far as possible, to choose when you end it. When my wife was a district nurse she used to tell harrowing stories of people who really wanted to end their lives but were kept alive by the wonders of modern medicine. Interestingly the question of pain relief was not always the most important factor. Quite why some people want to extend human degradation, misery and suffering until the very last moment whilst just going "There, there" is beyond me.

 

[Nixonator]

Blimey it's gotten serious on here these last couple of weeks.

When can we go back to talking about 22 men kicking a ball around?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes. It's one of the most fundamental of Human Rights. It's your life, it doesn't belong to anyone (or anything) else and you should be allowed, as far as possible, to choose when you end it. When my wife was a district nurse she used to tell harrowing stories of people who really wanted to end their lives but were kept alive by the wonders of modern medicine. Interestingly the question of pain relief was not always the most important factor. Quite why some people want to extend human degradation, misery and suffering until the very last moment whilst just going "There, there" is beyond me.

That's why people can sign a living will, so they can refuse treatment which prolongs life. That is not the same as euthanasia. My ex father in law was diagnosed with leukaemia at 70. He refused all treatment apart from blood transfusions. He died within 4 months.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There also seems to be a perception that people die in agony. Palliative care nowadays is so much better than it used to be. This year I have already lost a close friend and a cousin to cancer, neither of whom died in pain.

 

[Brovion]

There also seems to be a perception that people die in agony. Palliative care nowadays is so much better than it used to be. This year I have already lost a close friend and a cousin to cancer, neither of whom died in pain.

Indeed, that's why I said the pain relief isn't always the main consideration (although it rates extremely highly). As you say palliative care is much better than it used to be, and that actually strengthens the case for assisted dying. In her career as a district nurse and working on Care of the Elderly wards at Worthing Hospital my wife saw people who were 'comfortable' in nursing terms (i.e. their pain was manageable) but who were immobile, incoherent, incontinent husks living out their last few weeks or months in a mess of tubes and misery. Not everyone wants to end like that.

 

[Perkino]

It would need a list of criteria but people have the freedom to make woeful decisions throughout their life until they have an illness which is slowly sapping their energy levels and shutting their body down in stages. We then medicate them to help manage the pain and drag out the suffering.

Animals are put to sleep by the vet to stop the suffering they are experiencing, surely a human should be able to make the same decision for themselves

 

[dangull]

We don't use palliative medicine for our dogs and cats. We see that they are suffering and not enjoying their last few weeks of life, so we do the best thing for them.

For people the issue is complicated due to religious views. Its a sin to kill yourself, only god should decide when your life ends. Just saying, not saying its right or wrong

 

[Magic Sponge]

Anyway, it's a yes from me. It would need to have a lot of safeguards built in, but yes, it should be allowed.

Agree with this.

 

[symyjym]

Is this another "If we don't go up this season" thread?

I think I will give it another season tbh.

 

[Blue3]

When I was younger and life seemed to be for ever I used to say yes, now I am older I still say yes

 

[albionfan37]

If religion was redundant I'm fairly sure that euthanasia would already be in place

 

[Buzzer]

I really don't know the answer to this. I used to be for it but I'm very worried about what kind of door it opens and the meaning of "quality of life".

 

[Tarpon]

Indeed, that's why I said the pain relief isn't always the main consideration (although it rates extremely highly). As you say palliative care is much better than it used to be, and that actually strengthens the case for assisted dying. In her career as a district nurse and working on Care of the Elderly wards at Worthing Hospital my wife saw people who were 'comfortable' in nursing terms (i.e. their pain was manageable) but who were immobile, incoherent, incontinent husks living out their last few weeks or months in a mess of tubes and misery. Not everyone wants to end like that.

This all day. I have recently had a similar experience to [MENTION=3733]papajaff[/MENTION] above. There is sometimes significant distress and damage to prolonging 'life' beyond the will of the individual. Future generations will be aghast that assisted dieing took so long to be legalised.

 

[easynow]

Another yes from me. Watching someone die from a very aggressive and painful cancer is something I would never want to go through...

 

[symyjym]

I don't think I could handle being in Stephen Hawkins state, but I'm sure he wouldn't opt for euthanasia. He is treated like a God and still has a purpose though.

 

[GT49er]

I will sign a living will, which is different. It means I don't want to be resuscitated, or treated if I have a terminal illness. That is different, in that you are dying anyway, so treatment will only prolong it. One case being if I have cancer, which is untreatable, then get pneumonia, I would refuse antibiotics, because pneumonia is a kinder death.

I'd still prefer a massive overdose of painkillers - maybe with a nice whisky! - to the pneumonia.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'd still prefer a massive overdose of painkillers - maybe with a nice whisky! - to the pneumonia.

I'm glad you're not my relative.

 

[GT49er]

I don't think I could handle being in Stephen Hawkins state, but I'm sure he wouldn't opt for euthanasia. He is treated like a God and still has a purpose though.

At the moment, he doesn't have the choice, that's the problem. If he doesn't want it,fine - it s voluntary euthanasia we're discussing, after all.