Do you support suicide assistance?

[jillio]

problem is.... TOO many people are against it and they think it's very wrong and sinful.

Then they should not engage in it. Let those who do not think it is "wrong" and "sinful" have a choice regarding their own end of life decisions.

 

[jillio]

which is why it's called assisted suicide. his/her life is ended by someone.

Well, that is not entirely accurrate. Physician assisted suicide is quite different from euthanasia. In PAS, a physician is permitted only to prescribe the medication, and to stand by while the medication takes effect and then pronounce time of death. The medication must administered by the patient's own hand. The legal restrictions regarding PAS are numerous. Likewise, when these restrictions are in place, it has been shown to actually increase palliative care, and decrease the number of requested PAS cases actually leading to suicide.

 

[jillio]

No, you cannot compare assisted suicide with commit suicide because they are total different.

Exactly. In order for a patient to be able to even request physician assisted suicide, they have to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, have had a diagnosis from 3 different doctors stating that they will live no longer than 6 months, and that the 6 months they will be alive will be excrutiatingly painful. Likewise, the request for PAS must be submitted 3 separate times prior to granting the request, to insure that the patient is not acting on a whim. If the request is granted, the physician can only prescribe the necessary medication. The patient must be capable of taking this medication by their own hand. They must also undergo an extensive psychological examination showing that they are fully aware of what they are requesting.

In fact, most patients who even request PAS end up dying from their illness before the process of request can be completed.

 

[Angel]

Exactly. In order for a patient to be able to even request physician assisted suicide, they have to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, have had a diagnosis from 3 different doctors stating that they will live no longer than 6 months,and that the 6 months they will be alive will be excrutiatingly painful.

Hmm I thought it suppose to be 2 doctors and if a patient has less than six months to live.

 

[jillio]

Hmm I thought it suppose to be 2 doctors and if a patient has less than six months to live.

Have it your way. Two or three....still must be verified by more than one medical doctor and is a safeguard to actually insure that PAS is upheld under only the strictest of conditions.

 

[jillio]

oh well..... it's going to be a quite long time till the concept of assisted suicide will be widely accepted

On October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose.

Already legal in Oregon, and widely accepted in several European countries.

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/index.shtml

 

[Byrdie714]

On October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose.

Already legal in Oregon, and widely accepted in several European countries.

State of Oregon: Death With Dignity Act

We will be voting on this issue this coming November. Initiative 1000.

I still haven't decided on this issue.

 

[Byrdie714]

No, you cannot compare assisted suicide with commit suicide because they are total different.

Uhh how are they different? Suicide is suicide.

I voted 'other.' Assisted suicide is, in itself, against what I believe in as a religious person. That said, I also believe that religion has no place in the law.

I own my own life, and I believe that everyone else does too. If you wish to take it in a hospital or with a doctor's help instead of using some barbaric at-home method which may fail and leave you suffering.. I do not agree with either option, but I think it's not my place to tell you that it's not your right to die with an ounce of dignity.

So. I don't support it, no. But I absolutely think it should be legal, and without stigma or judgment. I cannot say I would not be tempted with the choice if facing down a painful death- why or how can I judge someone else for the very same thing?

I believe that the Supremem Being owns your life.

I gave up! I repeated myself 3 times already, none of you get it.

I get it and like I said, I haven't decided on how to vote on this issue that is coming to us this November as I see both sides of it.

Quality vs Quantity of Life and then the morality of it with one's belief's.

Oy!

i'll be glad when Election day is over with!

 

[jillio]

We will be voting on this issue this coming November. Initiative 1000.

I still haven't decided on this issue.

Its a touchy one. But, in effect, all you are voting for is the right to choose to make your own end of life decisions. Just because a death with dignity act passes doesn't mean you have to take advantage of it yourself. Morality issues would decide whether it is an option you yourself take advantage of. A matter of choice and right to privacy is the issue regarding decisions made between a competent individual and their doctors.

 

[jillio]

I just (politely) want to point out that putting someone to death using the death penalty is the same thing.

And Jeb Bush should have not gotten involved in Terri's case. It politicized the case.[/QUOTE]


Agreed there. It was a medical decision, and should have been between the family and the doctors.

 

[Daredevel7]

I noticed that people are fighting about 2 different things. Maybe we should clarify before we discuss more. Are we talking about people like in Terri Shiavo where someone else has to decide FOR them? Or are we talking about people who has a terminal illness but also mentally healthy enough to decide that they want assisted suicide? Maybe those 2 cases are the same to some people, but definitely not for me! In the first case (Terri).... that's tough because people can take advantage of this if it was legal. However, I think we should focus on the 2nd case (competent people who have a terminal illness). I say to allow them the right to end the suffering. (By the way, check out the movie The Sea Inside, based on a real life story)

 

[Cheri]

I just (politely) want to point out that putting someone to death using the death penalty is the same thing..

I just knew that you'll bring that up. I was only doing the society a favor-- prevent the creation of a violent nature by keeping the criminals off the street. There are crimes that are so heinous and the death penalty is the only solution.

 

[Angel]

Have it your way. Two or three....still must be verified by more than one medical doctor and is a safeguard to actually insure that PAS is upheld under only the strictest of conditions.

Have it my way? I didn't make the law.

Under the law, two doctors must certify that patients who want to end their lives are mentally competent and that they have less than six months to live. A doctor then writes a prescription for a lethal dose of drugs, which the patients administer themselves.

Law allowing physician-assisted suicide reaches high court - The Boston Globe

The law requires that patients have less than six months to live. It must also be determined by two doctors that they are mentally fit to make the decision. They also must file one written and two oral statements of their decision.

Supreme Court Supports Oregon Law Allowing Doctor-Assisted Suicide

 

[Royale]

I support assisted assistance; however, I want to bring something up to share with you.

Will the life insurance company issue a fat check to benefactors of a person who dies of assisted suicide? As matter of facts, they will NOT issue a check to them when their loved one commits suicide.

Why do we have to put our beloved and dying pets to sleep while we are not allowed to have loved and dying ones to do assisted suicide or euthanasia? Why cannot we do it while we can do it to our pets? We are living things and so are our pets.

 

[Cheri]

Uhh how are they different? Suicide is suicide.

Thank you and you do "get" it.

 

[Jiro]

On October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose.

Already legal in Oregon, and widely accepted in several European countries.

State of Oregon: Death With Dignity Act

I was referring to USA. They're slow to change.

 

[Angel]

Uhh how are they different? Suicide is suicide.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Jiro]

I support assisted assistance; however, I want to bring something up to share with you.

Will the life insurance company issue a fat check to benefactors of a person who dies of assisted suicide? As matter of facts, they will NOT issue a check to them when their loved one commits suicide.

Why do we have to put our beloved and dying pets to sleep while we are not allowed to have loved and dying ones to do assisted suicide or euthanasia? Why cannot we do it while we can do it to our pets? We are living things and so are our pets.

a very good question but my guess is yes only in the state with Death with Dignity Act.

 

[jillio]

I support assisted assistance; however, I want to bring something up to share with you.

Will the life insurance company issue a fat check to benefactors of a person who dies of assisted suicide? As matter of facts, they will NOT issue a check to them when their loved one commits suicide.

Why do we have to put our beloved and dying pets to sleep while we are not allowed to have loved and dying ones to do assisted suicide or euthanasia? Why cannot we do it while we can do it to our pets? We are living things and so are our pets.

Good question. But PAS is viewed as only hastening the inevitable. The patient requesting PAS must have already been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have 6 months or less to live. So it would be considered a death resulting from a terminal illness.

 

[jillio]

Have it my way? I didn't make the law.



Law allowing physician-assisted suicide reaches high court - The Boston Globe



Supreme Court Supports Oregon Law Allowing Doctor-Assisted Suicide

The point is, there are safeguards in place that protect the patient from making a hasty decision and prevent the physician from ethical violations. Whether its 2 physicians, or 3 physicians, the result of the regulation is the same.