Should euthanasia be legalized in your opinion?

Answer 1

Opinions from Contributors:

Note that mercy killing is a popular term for the termination of a person's life as a humane act. The more formal term is euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Opinion

Mercy killing should be legalized because of the following reasons:

1) The patient is near his or her end.

2) The patient has unendurable pain.

3) All possible ways to avoid the pain have been attempted but are useless.

4) The patient expresses his or her own will to accept mercy, they are never forced.

5) Forcing patients to remain alive against their wishes causes health care expenditures to rise astronomically.

Opinion

First, the word euthanasia comes from the ancient Greek which means "good death". It essentially means mercy killing, or killing someone who does not any longer want to live. This term can also refer to putting an animal to 'sleep', although in this usage it more often means the killing of someone who it is not economically desirable to save.

As to whether or not euthanasia should be legalized, this subject has been the topic of much debate in recent times. In countries such as Switzerland, it is already legal. In the majority of the world, however, it remains illegal. In the U.S., hospitalized patients may refuse life-saving care, but cannot receive doctor assisted suicide. (Euthanasia most commonly is discussed in reference to the terminally ill).

Opinion

Euthanasia should not be legalize. Doctors would kill more people if they had that choice. For example if a patient looks ready to die and they need to free up some time they would most likely pull the plug immediately

Opinion

Yes. Stop the pain and suffering!

I think that euthanasia should be legalized in that cases when the patient himself wants it and when his illness very painful and leads inevitably to death... why should we not let them die if they are afflicted of such unbearable pain?

Opinion

Be careful what you wish for! Today we have access to things like palliative medicine and morphine that relieves, if not completely eliminates, pain. Never before have we had such pain-relievers, and yet the following for legalizing euthanasia keeps growing. Why? Mainly because of a "deadly compassion". Euthanasia is one of those things that sounds good, right? Why should we force someone to live?

The question is, ladies and gentlemen, not why should we force someone to live, but why should we allow doctors to terminate patient's lives? In the Netherlands, already over one thousand people are being euthanized by doctors every year without the consent of the patient. We can, and do make the passing of terminal patients better, and we allow them to refuse medical treatment. Sometimes it is better, unfortunately to allow nature to take its course, once treatment goes from preserving precious life, to prolonging suffering death.

Opinion

The only argument euthanasia has going for it (unless you count "cutting costs") is reduction of pain. We already have that without killing people. Arguments against legalizing this "Death with Dignity" range from this death desensitizing doctors to asking for death shows an illogical workings of the mind. We should instead give counseling and options to reduce pain, not take the Grim Reaper into our own hands.

Within certain limitations and as approved by an appropriate authority, euthanasia is entirely legal in several areas.

Opinion

As to those without it, it seems nonsensical to prolong suffering when there is absolutely no hope left for that person's recovery.

Opinion

It depends on the circumstances, if somebody is going to die in pain and there is no chance of them getting better then it's best that they settle their affairs and choose to die on their own terms rather than wait and suffer.

Opinion

Absolutely. For once, animals have it better than humans do. When your animal gets old and can't live life anymore, we as humans have the right to end their suffering so they don't feel pain anymore. It's disgusting to me that a human is forced to endure a slow painful death rather than a peaceful one at their own timing. Human euthanasia should be legalized but with strict guidelines. If you want to die because you are depressed or whatever, then no. But if you are a terminal cancer patient or in chronic pain due to a disease such as Parkinson's or MD/MS, then yes. You should have the option to end your life at the hands of a trained physician.

Opinion

No. It is immoral.

Opinion

Yes. A person should have the ultimate control over their own life. Many people would choose doctor assisted euthanasia if it was available. In fact, many do. Many dying people have asked a family member or partner for that kind of help and many have honored that request. It has been performed for centuries where family members and family doctors have honored the wish of a dying relative or patient to help end their suffering. The right to die should be as respected as the right to live. It should be a matter of personal choice and should be carried out with all the support necessary to make one's last hours comfortable and safe, and one's passing peaceful. It is widely available in some areas.

Answer 2

Opinion

I think that enthanasia is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. Although it eases pain, everyone experiences it and it will be over before you know it.

Opinion

I think that Euthanasia is the most horrible thing you can do. No elderly person wants to kill themselves. And thank God it's illegal in PA. No person should ever try it.

Opinion

You have obviously never witnessed someone in intractable suffering. Yes, there are still conditions, such as certain cancers involving the spine or brain, where pain medications cease to work well, or at all. Not all of these conditions resolve quickly. Not all suffering involves pain either. In fact, many terminally ill patients who are in great pain, rate their dyspnea, or difficulty breathing, as far more disturbing that their pain.

Opinion

Euthanasia is not just a matter of religious conviction Many people feel that leaving the life or death of a person in the hands of a small group of people for any reason such as illness pain etc is a dangerous precedent that may lead to abuse eventualy. A good example would be what happened to the crippled and feeble minded in Hitler's regime. Or what happened to people in mental asylums. Abuse may become endemic.

Opinion

Many people would choose doctor assisted euthanasia if it was available. In fact, many do. Many dying people have asked a family member or partner for that kind of help and many have honored that request. It has been performed for centuries where family members and family doctors have honored the wish of a dying relative or patient to help end their suffering. The right to die should be as respected as the right to live. It should be a matter of personal choice and should be carried out with all the support necessary to make one's last hours comfortable and safe, and one's passing peaceful. It is widely available in some areas.

Opinion

Hopefully there will come a time when people realize they should only make that decision for themselves and allow the next person that same freedom of choice. I do not subscribe to the "slippery slope" argument. It prevents changes in the status quo where the most change is needed.

Opinion

I support Euthanasia for terminally ill patients who don't want to suffer anymore.

Answer 3

Opinion

Yes, euthanasia is very wrong whether it is being performed on animals or humans. When we euthanize, we are playing God. Animals and humans go through a process when they are dying, and if that natural process is suddenly ended, the human/animal will be harmed. No one has the right to kill something else. Euthanasia is not at all ethical. I hope this helps, and that all euthanasia will end someday!

Opinion

No. Many people would choose doctor assisted euthanasia if it was available. In fact, many do. Many dying people have asked a family member or partner for that kind of help and many have honored that request. It has been performed for centuries where family members and family doctors have honored the wish of a dying relative or patient to help end their suffering. The right to die should be as respected as the right to live. It should be a matter of personal choice and should be carried out with all the support necessary to make one's last hours comfortable and safe, and one's passing peaceful. It is widely available in some areas.

Answer 4

APelly: I am a Catholic Christian and I have studied Christian views on Euthanasia. Although there is nothing about this topic in The Bible, one of the 10 commandments says "do not kill". Christians believe in "the sanctity of life", meaning that life is a precious and sacred gift from God which only God has the right to give or take away. We are stewards of the life God has given us, not masters. Pope John Paul said "We should not kill those whose suffering WE cannot bear." These are a few of the many reasons Christians believe Euthanasia is wrong.

Answer 5

There are several ways you can look at this question. Naturally the first way to look at it is from your own point of view you may feel that if life is not worthwhile to you any more as a result of let us say pain that is being suffered as a part of a terminal illness it makes sense that you should be able to say no more this is not worth putting up with any more so you get your medic or friend to help you shuffle the mortal coil so to speak. The problem with this sort of thinking however is that it is human nature to try to perfect and expand on everything. The first thing that will happen is that there will be specialists that will take care of this problem as most doctors would rather not have anything to do with this side of the patients treatment, After this it will be only a matter of time before euthanasia is allowed as a result of the patient having some time in the past alluded to their agreement to being euthanized after they had lost the ability to give express permission to have this done. With an aging population more and more people are going to prove to be a drain on the treasuries coffers, so chances are that the government is going to be behind this as it will save them a lot of money. The next line of thinking will be that at a certain time the decision to terminate will be made by a board with the aid of the patient's doctor or doctors. This can put the power of life and death in the hands of a few medics. And you may end up in situations where people are dispatched as the result of corrupt deals between beneficiaries and authorised doctors, like some of the deals that were made in the past by mental health professionals where by a person could disappear into a mental asylum while the family took over control of their assets. I know people are helped on their way and it is done quietly and because those involved feel there is no other way out and I don't particularly hold it against them. However while I agree with euthanasia I disagree with it being legalised and institutionalised. There are many more ways that this question may be looked at philosophically, ethically and in the context of religion, however without writing a book about it I would have to say in the end that I both agree and disagree with euthanasia. Like capital punishment the overall impression I have is that while it can be tempting to kill some one for the best of reasons, when it boils right down to it is always wrong.

Answer 6

Personally, I think it is my life, my body and I should have the right to end it if I see fit. There are so many illnesses and diseases in this world today, horrible ones at that. Why should someone be forced to live through such a thing, all the pain and agony, only to die in the end anyway? If you had a pet with something horrible, you would put them out of their misery, so why not humans too? Sure, I think there should definitely be guidelines, some regulation. But in the end, when it comes down to it, I think you should be the one to make this final decision, not the government.

Answer 7

mercy killing and euthanasia are the same thing so just type that in stead.