Community | February 17, 2010 | 43 comments

Should Euthanasia Be Legal?

source: http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/17/should-euthanasia-be-legal/?hpt=T2

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EthicalVegan
February 17, 2010
Should euthanasia be legal?
Posted: 06:00 PM ET

The photo, taken in Brussels, Belgium shows a so-called euthanasia kit, which is available to doctors in some countries, but not in the U.S. The kits must be ordered, picked up, and administered by the doctors themselves. (PHOTO CREDIT: ETIENNE ANSOTTE/AFP/Getty Images)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Some Canadian doctors want their government to decriminalize euthanasia.

They say that euthanasia is already widely practiced in Quebec's hospitals; and the government should stop ignoring it. They say doctors know when death is "imminent and inevitable" and suggest there should be guidelines for medical professionals to follow in such circumstances.

Those who support what they call dying with dignity say it could apply to patients with a terminal disease like cancer, or babies born with serious medical conditions or seniors whose bodies are simply shutting down on them.

Euthanasia is legal in some countries - including the Netherlands and Belgium - while Switzerland allows doctor-assisted suicide.

Here in the U.S., Washington state and Oregon have laws that allow doctors to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill patients. They must be at least 18 years old and mentally competent. There is some support in Montana for a similar rule.

Euthanasia has long been a controversial issue - much like abortion - especially among religious groups. Critics worry that doctor-assisted suicide will pressure people with terminal illnesses - who may be poor or disabled - to end their lives early. Supporters insist it is a dignified way for people who are suffering to go in peace.

One of the most well-known supporters of euthanasia is Jack Kevorkian - who was dubbed Dr. Death. The Michigan doctor served eight years in prison after saying he had assisted in at least 130 suicides.

Here’s my question to you: Should euthanasia be legal?

Tune in to the Situation Room at 6pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.

And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

Lisa writes:
I think euthanasia should absolutely be legal. I treat cancer patients, and the some of the suffering I see is heartbreaking. Changing the law would foster the type of end-of-life discussions that are not possible now.

Steena writes:
I have just started nursing school to be an RN. My first rotation has been in nursing homes. After spending time caring for patients whose bodies are failing them and seeing how miserable their lives are, I 100% support euthanasia. Quality of life should trump quantity of life, and for those who disagree, I say spend some time with a terminally ill person.

Loren in Chicago writes:
No, Euthansia should not be legalized. There are too many variables in deciding whether a death is imminent and inevitable and too many ways for persons with bad intent to fix the system to meet their ends.

Jim in Illinois writes:
Many Americans will spend most of their family's financial resources in their last year of life, then die - too often painfully. The current system in the U.S. is broken. But, sorry, I forgot, we should not even think about reforming the medical and health insurance system.

Sarah in Wisconsin writes:
No, euthanasia is murder.

M. writes:
Yes, it should be legal. For those who disagree I urge you to spend three days and nights being fully present at the bedside of four terminally ill patients in hourly rotations at a nursing home. One cannot adequately address this serious matter without witnessing the lives of those who are in the process of dying.

Tom writes:
Yes, Jack. When the vet tells you your dog is terminal and there is no quality of life ahead only suffering, you do the humane thing and put him down. Why shouldn't we show as much love and concern for a human?
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43 comments // Should Euthanasia Be Legal?

  • Amanda_Rocha
    • 0
      Amanda_Rocha  

    • There are too many variables. In Oregon there has been many people who wanted treatment for cancer to prolong their lives, and instead were offered euthanasia from their insurance companies because it is cheaper. I understand people want to help someone not suffer when they are already terminally ill, but it opens the door to doctors, insurance companies or others to talk family members into this because of financial reasons. If I was to have a terminal illness and really did not want to leave, then I would make that decision on my own and do something about it. Either way it is suicide and therefore a docto should not be involved. Pets, as we are being associated with in this issue, cannot kill themselves because they are in pain... people can if they chose to. Suicide is not illegal, but helping someone commit suicide, actively, is a crime!

    • 2 years ago
  • jubal
    • +1
      jubal  
    • Amanda_Rocha:

      I am sick and tired of all the big brother laws, especially suicide being illegal. If someone wants to kill themselves they should have the right to do so without the people telling them they cant.

      These big brother laws include laws against homosexual marriage, use of naturally occurring drugs, or sex workers.

    • 2 years ago
  • stargazergirl
    • 0
      stargazergirl  
    • jubal:

      I've been unemployed on and off for nearly 3 years. As soon as I start a new job they tell me I'm not good enough. Should I then not have a right to take myself out of this misery and humiliation?

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
    • +1
      nursediesel  

    • Please, everyone while of sound mind write a Living Will and or pick someone reliable to make medical decisions for you when you cannot, and make it legal. Notarize it have witnesses sign it ...do something binding... This will eliminate many painful family moments. Also, utilize Hospice when ever possible they are so wonderful peolpe that have had experience with them will tell you it is the best experience for a bad situation.

    • 2 years ago
  • csmonut
    • +1
      csmonut  

    • Make it legal. We do it for our pets. We should do it for ourselves and the others we love.
      As one person said....quality should trump quantity.

    • 2 years ago
  • laserdog
    • +3
      laserdog  

    • One of the best things you can do if you are infavor of this is get your own house in order.

      If you don't want to live or be artificially kept alive while permanently unconscious, put it in writing, show that paper to loved ones, sign it in front of them, etc, etc.

      There are sites on line that help you make it proper and legal.

      At worse, you preempt any familial bickering about "what he/she would have wanted", at best you keep from bankrupting your loved ones with useless medical bills.

    • 2 years ago
  • common_sense_please
    • 0
      common_sense_please  

    • I definitely do not think that doctors should just be given free reign to provide euthanasia services whenever the doctor decides its "your time to die"--if for no other reason than I am really glad we finally moved on from the teabaggers and their "death panels" and I really don't care to re-open that whole can of worms.

      Instead I think we should include euthanasia as a choice when the person is setting up a living will or end of life directive. Either that or use it only in conjunction with patients who have qualified for hospice or participated in hospice services for a number of weeks. Because that way the person who is dying and their family and friends (and even the doctor and social workers and nurses) have all had a chance to discuss the person's wishes and make their peace with the person's death before death is staring them in the face and clouding everyone involved thinking processes.

    • 2 years ago
  • laserdog
    • 0
      laserdog  
    • common_sense_please:

      Yeah, I think the write-up was misleading here.

      By saying "doctors know when death is imminent" or "or babies born with serious medical conditions" paints pictures of doctors murdering people and babies without consent of the patient or family.

      Also I've never heard of *babies* brought up in this debate at all, bringing them up is just bizarre and counter productive IMHO.

      As you mentioned this has to be only employed when the patient wants it to be, or the family has evidence that that was the patient's desire.

      The medical system currently fights death like it is a curable disease, attempting to eradicate it at any cost (either financial or mental) to the patient.

      Worse yet, is the process of someone dying is largely hidden from anyone else, secreted away as a condition for hospitals. Death is an eventual part of life. Hiding it so we don't have to think about it is the real core issue here that is allowing this sort of psychological head burying to continue.

      Especially in the case of mental degredation. I have a grandmother who is alive, but save for her epidermis there really is very little of her that I recognize at all. In my mind she died several months ago when her dimensia became severe and irreversible.

      Obviously I can't make that decision for her now, but I can at least learn from it and try to get people to enforce some sane rules upon myself when I get old.

    • 2 years ago
  • tommytripper
    • +2
      tommytripper  

    • Euthanasia should be treated like abortion, the right should be there... but it should be taken on a case by case basis... like abortion it should be discouraged, but the final choice should be left up the (mother simply because i tossed abortion in there) parents and or family.

      as for the argument of "putting someone down" we do it to other animals all the time, what is the big issue, we are just animals with big brains (that we really dont use) and an imposable thumb

      doctor assisted suicide should be totally legal... the right and freedom to choose if you live or die... should be yours, again i think it should be discouraged as much as possible. but it is just an messure of how free you really are.

      i have no real ethical issues with someone choosing to die, hell if i was stuck in a condition that there was no hope of recovery i would hope my family had the fortitude to follow through with my wishes and have me terminated. i would not want to live as a vegetable, nor suffer through endless pain. all for some intellectually dishonest sense of morality.

    • 2 years ago
  • inspirationseeker
    • 0
      inspirationseeker  

    • Euthanasia should not be legal since it infers that you are "putting someone down" regardless of their choice. However, someone who is terminally ill and decides to end their own life should have options available to them. As a society we tend to be selfish since we don't want to deal with the sadness associated with someone we love dying. But if the person we love is in pain and it's only going to get worse, they should have a guilt free way out. Our society is no where near allowing this to happen since we are pretty much controlled by values established by religion.

    • 2 years ago
  • kulahptik
    • -1
      kulahptik  

    • This brings up a lot of legal and moral issues, but keep in mind everyone in the current American society as it stands now it is ok to kill your unborn child, but not yourself. Does this make sense or am I missing something?

    • 2 years ago
  • cynker
    • 0
      cynker  

    • i think perhaps with the consent of all immediate family, as in spouses and offspring, along with several doctors' opinions.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
  • Nephwrack
  • Saladin
  • jubal
  • kateri87
    • +3
      kateri87  

    • I know that I would prefer to be put out of my misery than have to go through the humiliation of having to have someone change my diapers for the rest of my life, and I definitely wouldn't want my loved ones to have to care for me long after I've forgotten who they are. I think euthanasia should be legal, but only for those who had already agreed to it while in good mental health, similar to a DNR order.

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
    • +2
      EthicalVegan  
    • kateri87:

      I've faced it four times in my life with my loved ones, and DNR was the very first step. Then, lots and lots and lots of talking -- and tears -- and lots MORE talking.

      Even then, since none of my loved ones lived in Oregon (that state always pleasantly surprises me with its humanity), I could not get assisted suicide/euthanasia for those who mattered so.

      The next-to-last time I had to go through it was for my beautiful, gentle father. Not to get into the details, but he very suddenly was suffering so much. I could only lie by his side, singing to him, talking to him, while he kept throwing strokes and losing more and more of his SELF. And all the time, there was this damn cord, only feet from where I was sitting, and I oh so much wanted to pull IT out of the wall. And believe me, I never, EVER wanted my beloved father to actually DIE, but when I could see and hear his pain, damnit to all hell, I wanted to stop it for him. And he would have wanted me to, and I know that with all my heart.

      Sorry to go sober on everyone, but as long as any living being has a functioning brain -- and the ability to convince those who love her so deeply that it is her decision to let go -- I am 100% supportive of the right to do the one final thing you can with your very own life.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  
    • EthicalVegan:

      So sorry for your loss, but it sounds like you had a great, loving relationship with your dad.
      I, too, suffered a similar situation with my father but he had given my mother and me the right to make medical decisions for him when he could not. We were able to keep him as comfortable as possible 'til the end. He just had such a strong heart it kept him going on and on. We did have a g-tube for feeding to keep him hydrated, too. Staying hydrated helps decrease pain. Comfort measures are important.
      We just spent as much quality, loving time with him as possible, like you did, apparently.

    • 2 years ago
  • jubal
    • +5
      jubal  

    • Assisted suicide should be legal world wide. You shouldn't have to go on a suicide vacation to do yourself in. In Oregon, we have had Physician Assisted Suicide for many years. Hysterical people warned that if it were passed, Oregon would become a suicide mecca. People would move to Oregon and people would commit suicide by the thousands.

      Well the reality has been far different. Less than 30% of people who received prescriptions for a lethal dose of drugs ever used them. And to date, since 1997, 401 patients have died from prescriptions issued under the Death With Dignity Act.

      So it was a hysterical warning indeed. Oregon did not turn into a suicide mecca.

      The reality is that people feel much more in control of their deaths when they have the means to end it without much fuss. They are empowered and most don't every even use the drugs to end their lives.

      Below is a link to the 2008 Report from the State of Oregon Department of Human Services.

      http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/docs/year11.pdf

      And here is the Characteristics of people who have used the meds to die and their underlying conditions.

      http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/docs/yr11-tbl-1.pdf

      There are graphs and charts in them.

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
  • Saladin
    • +3
      Saladin  

    • Bottom line, your body, your right.

      No one should be able to tell you that you're not allowed to kill yourself if it can be established that you're in your right mind. It's the most basic right there is, the right to your own life.

    • 2 years ago
  • laserdog
    • +1
      laserdog  
    • Saladin:

      You are right.

      Also, no one is proposing killing people against their will.

      The write-up is partly to blame here for being very unclear on that part. I think they were implying patient/family consent in conjunction with a terminally ill prognosis by a doctor. But all they mentioned was "doctors know when people are going to die".

      Right now the issue is that if a terminally ill patient wants to die, and a doctor agrees and wants to help them end their life, they can't because it is against the law.

    • 2 years ago
  • observer2121
    • +2
      observer2121  

    • I think if a person wishes to die with dignity and without pain they should be allowed to do so. We do it to animals to save them from a painful death but for some reason we refuse humans the same courtesy.

    • 2 years ago
  • Mariased
    • +1
      Mariased  

    • There are a lot of cases where I personally would prefer death. It's certainly not a choice I'd like to make for someone else, but in a situation in which I were in a vegetative state, in a condition of immense suffering with no hope of recovery, paralyzed in any way, etc... I would hope that I would have the option of a quick and painless death.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
  • Daisy_1
    • -2
      Daisy_1  

    • I think is shouldnt be legal or even for animals (ok a little for them cuz they dont know whats going on or they do and all they want is to be with their owner) but i think your time is up when your time is up and its selfish to just throw it away what about the people that care about you? and it be dumb to even think they dont want to see you suffier they dont but they rather have you their than not their at all f

    • 2 years ago
  • jubal
    • +1
      jubal  
    • Daisy_1:

      If you don't have a chance to live and you are in horrible pain, the loving thing would be for your family to let you go. Its selfish of them to keep you alive and in pain, just so they can postpone grieving your loss.

      It is more loving to die with your whole family around you then in a ICU hooked up to a ventilator.

    • 2 years ago
  • feefer2010
  • juicie
  • Davidod
    • 0
      Davidod  

    • I think we should have "death panels" which decide, based on things like cost-effectiveness of keeping one alive vs pulling the plug. Medical ethics is far too complicated for us pions to contemplate, so I'm comfortable deferring that decision to the experts.

      Isn't that what Palin was suggesting? :)

    • 2 years ago
  • ChunkyCheezes
    • -4
      ChunkyCheezes [removed]  

    • Fuck yeah it should be legal! We need to get rid of all these worthless depressed shits who contribute nothing to society and the damn brain dead zygotes who are just shit factories in hospital beds. Global warming and other problems related to overpopulation would significantly be reduced if Euthanasia was legal all over the U.S

    • 2 years ago
  • jubal
  • ChunkyCheezes
  • fun_size
    • +4
      fun_size  

    • I think it should be legal so long as the patient is of a capable mind and is suffering with no prospect of recovery. Why make their last moments needlessly painful?

    • 2 years ago
  • unimatrix0
  • nursediesel
    • +6
      nursediesel  

    • The doctor should give the patient the meds needed and let the patient decide. That's how it used to be when doctors knew their patients and their whole families.

    • 2 years ago
  • jubal
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  
    • jubal:

      Even before MSContin and not many having IV's at home doctors would give 'scripts of meds that would end suffering, so to speak. Many people wanted to go home and die at home with or without their families close. Not many people would say dying at home in their own bed is a bad way to go!
      Now with Hospice, Thank God, people can be more comfortable at home until the end. Such suffering can be minimized.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  
    • jubal:

      Also, to be noted when one has cancer as the cancer grows it's metabolism 'eats' up more and more to continue growing and as it does so it decreases the effect of the dosage of pain medication and thus the patient even when losing body weight actually needs more pain medication to alleviate the pain.

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
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