Should assisted suicide be legal (for everyone)?

[gee3000]

Inclined to say yes, but obstacles to execution (>_>) in diy methods can act as strong deterrents (eg gruesome pain/suffering) which force people to rethink. Heard many stories of people set on doing it but were too afraid to, or were following through and some last minute obstacle delayed them long enough to make them rethink. I also imagine that if an 'easy' option is available, people would flock to it over increasingly benign reasons over time.

Except in certain circumstances where one's life is basically unliveable (disease/disability), and where the right help has been made available, I don't believe anyone can make a sound decision that suicide is an option.

 

[Amleto]

In short, yes

 

[Mr Badger]

Yes.

With appropriate involvement of medical/legal professionals and safeguards and checks in place to stop people doing it on the spur of the moment or being pressured into agreeing. But ultimately if someone is enduring a terrible health situation from which there is no reasonable prospect of recovery, they should have the option of ending it in the most humane and dignified way possible. To me the tricky issue is when someone has left it too late to be able to give informed consent and whether that can be adequately covered in some sort of prior DNR/living will. I spent months visiting a dementia unit and it was ******* grim. Most of the residents were essentially the living dead and there is no dignity or quality of life in rotting away like that. Hopefully no one wants to kill off granny while she can still recognise her family and get some enjoyment out of life, but how does she confirm that she wants to go once she is incapable of rational communication? Obviously continuing to post in GD doesn't count.

 

[flea.rider]

i don't get this ? my mum died 3 yrs ago .. brain cancer .. all happened really fast (within 3 weeks) but they gave her a steady increasing amount of pain killers to help her on her way ... so they do assist dyeing ..when needed ?

 

[LuckyBenski]

i don't get this ? my mum died 3 yrs ago .. brain cancer .. all happened really fast (within 3 weeks) but they gave her a steady increasing amount of pain killers to help her on her way ... so they do assist dyeing ..when needed ?

That is called palliative care i.e. helping make the person more comfortable until they die. The thread topic is assisted suicide which is helping them choose to end the suffering sooner.

E: And I'm sorry for your loss

 

[Lartyconshayo]

I'm mid 40's, made a lot of lifestyle changes in the last decade or so, and recently gave up alcohol in October 2022. I have always believed in euthanasia and have never wavered from this point. If it happens to me I would aim for Switzerland currently, but hopefully the UK or wherever I end up will have the facility to accommodate.

I understand that no system is perfect, and subject to abuse in terms of financial or other incentives. But overall I believe it will alleviate the suffering or many people in a safe, medically controlled manner. As long as there are enough safeguards in place then why should people suffer?

 

[rhobbyh]

I think you've got to treat every case on its merits except for Esther Rantzen who should be allowed an exemption IMHO

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Probably for the best won't be able to afford to live at this rate too expensive and the NHS won't treat you so you're in pain for years waiting for an op.

 

[Burnsy2023]

This is one of the best arguments for assisted death, from an NHS Consultant:

 

[bigmike20vt]

for terminally ill people or people facing a lifetime of low quality of life / or pain then without doubt absolutely yes if they want it.

however free unrestricted for anyone............ No. Perhaps i am being too nanny state but i dont think we should make it too easy for people who are going through a potentially short term "blip" to end it all. Sometimes people do need to be protected from themselves imo.

 

[jpaul]

Hearing esther ranzen again on r4 this morning - is her cancer treatment exclusively on nhs ? she was relating, receiving cancer superdrugs, during the interview;
and needs to acknowledge her experiences, with funds to use at any point, generally won't be representative of others.
Not that I am against proposal but celebrity bandwagonnng, of illnesses physical&mental, is tiring.

 

[Uther]

Hearing esther ranzen again on r4 this morning - is her cancer treatment exclusively on nhs ? she was relating, receiving cancer superdrugs, during the interview;
and needs to acknowledge her experiences, with funds to use at any point, generally won't be representative of others.
Not that I am against proposal but celebrity bandwagonnng, of illnesses physical&mental, is tiring.

It's how these issues get airtime, normal people can just be ignored.

 

[PlacidCasual]

I've moved my views over the years from mildly sceptical to firmly No. Reading about how the law in Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands has steadily inched further and further to the point healthy but depressed people are being euthanised at their own request makes me very very uncomfortable with introducing it here.

 

[bigmike20vt]

I've moved my views over the years from mildly sceptical to firmly No. Reading about how the law in Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands has steadily inched further and further to the point healthy but depressed people are being euthanised at their own request makes me very very uncomfortable with introducing it here.

i get the slippery slope concern, however i dont necessarily believe that allowing it on terminally ill, or permanently in pain people being allowed to end their suffering has to then lead onto those who are depressed or who possibly have curable issues being allowed to pull the plug.

 

[SpellowHouse]

I hope Trump doesn't read this thread. Please don't put ideas in his head.

 

[I kill Bunnies]

Yes, if I'm in terrible long term pain, unable to move and virtually a vegetable I would like the option.

 

[dave28]

I hope Trump doesn't read this thread. Please don't put ideas in his head.

Americans would simply reject all and every opinion of us little Brits. They know best lol

 

[Uther]

People will change their minds when they are terminally ill and living life in constant pain, and facing a lingering unpleasant death.

 

[jaybee]

It seems a no brainer that we should start allowing this, but what would it actually take? Being that it is quite a major thing, I feel like in typical British style, it would take decades for any law to pass.

I dread having to watch my parents fade away. I find it very difficult to watch anyone I care about in pain.

 

[bigmike20vt]

i watched my grandma die of cancer and i would not wish that on my most hated enemy.

her skin essentially fell apart and she was weeping from her arms, legs and i presume everywhere else, she had infections everywhere and was in pain. ultimately the doctor gave her a massive OD in the end but she would have been better of ending it a week or so earlier. She would have chosen that, there was zero QOL in that last fortnight, it was all pain, no dignity and i expect huge expense as well to the hospital.