Legalizing suicide

I am NOT suicidal. I do not need intervention. I am not thinking of killing myself. Period. I am not crying out for help.

That said, do you agree that suicide should be legal?

In particular, I look forward in time another 50 years, and see...

myself in the condition of my grandfather. The poor man is suffering terribly and there is no hope whatsoever of it ever improving. He will continue to suffer more and more until he eventually dies a horrific death, just as 2 of my other grandparents did.

I think of myself in that same situation, or my parents in maybe 20-30 years. If it were me, I would want the opportunity to die a dignified painless death of my own choosing, such as lethal injection.

Why do we force our elderly/terminally ill to suffer needlessly, when we are unwilling to allow even our pets to do that?

I dont think it really matters if suicide is legal because people are ganna do it either way..and wut are they ganna do send a dead person to jail?(lol sry I noe that sounds kinda sad but its true!) I agree people shoodnt have to suffer like that if they choose not 2

Your question should probably be Legalize euthanasia?. That's what Dr. Kevorkian was doing - also called physician assisted suicide.
There would have to be a lot of restrictions on it if it were legalized.

for now im going to say no
of course, people have the right to die whenever they want
and I didnt know it was illegal were you are
but id say no for now
because a lot of the time peopleuse it as a last resort
but over half the people who do it could still be living if they got help, and didnt resort to dying as a last option
for some people it can be the answer
but I really dont think everyone who does it or will, needs to
they have a lot more options

No, suicide should not be legalized. Like everything else in the world there is probably a good way to use it but there is always more bad ways to use it. I am sorry for the condition of your grandparents and it may seam like a good thing to you but there are others who will misuse it. And then there is the guy who will make a buck out of it, can you see the adds, we-B-killing-U $99.95. I agree that there should be a better way to die then to suffer but we also need to look after the people who should not die but could. Forgive me but I do not agree with you that there is “no hope.” There might not be a way to make things perfect but there is a way to make thing better. There is a whole field of medicine for the dying. If the problem is money then others can and will help with that too but there is a better way then suicide.

(I know you do not believe in the power of prayer as I do, but in the power of man. As a man I am asking you to let me pray for your grandfather and his family)

I don't think so Toadaly. I realize you have a much more libertarian view of the world than I, and you see it as a personal right. Believe me, I have been in your situation too many times in my life watching loved one being ravaged by cancer (both parents and a sister). But you are really not talking about suicide here. You are basically asking someone else to do it, and I don't think that is right or moral for someone else to be responsible for ending your life. If you are physically able to do it yourself, you can do it. The legality of it is irrelevant then. But most people in that situation are not able to do it on there own. Once you have to ask someone else to intervene on your behalf, it becomes problematic. Are you competant and truly able to make that decision? Are you possibly being coerced by someone? Are you sure there isn't a hospital policy that encourages it to reduce costs? It is a very very difficult situation for patients and families, but the potential for abuse is too great. And with todays medical advances, pain is not really an issue anymore.

Sorry to hear about your grandfather.

I am not talking about euthenasia, I'm talking about suicide. I don't think anyone but my grandfather should have the right to do it - and in his case he wouldn't anyway because of his religious convictions.

If suicide is legal, then the means to do it painlessly are also legal. There could still be checks and balances - a psychiatric and medical evaluation before death pills could be prescribed. I didn't say to make it unrestrictedly legal. I thought I made the context clear.

I dont see why you cant kill yourself if you have a terminal illness...
Obviously it would be heavily regulated...

For years many compassionate physicians, when asked, have helped patients with their death. An overdose of medication is an easy way to go. Americans are very uptight when it comes to suicide or euthanasia. I believe it stems from an overly religious base.
I completely support a patient's access to medication to ease their passing, just as I support a physician who helps.

Toadaly, I understand what you are saying. But even the act of a doctor giving someone a prescription would be assisting them. Not the same as actually administering the drug, but assisting nonetheless. But if you truly want to commit suicide, I don't see how the legality of it is relavent. What you are asking for is assistance, and that is what is illegal. Obviously someone who comits suicide isn't worried about themselves breaking the law. I don't completely disagree with you, but I do think it is a bit of a slippery slope.

Amoeba, I know that doctors have given many many terminal patients the means to OD on meds, and I don't have a problem with that morally. But I don't think it should be codified into law. And obviously my feelings about this are not based on any religious belief, but I do have a deep respect for the sanctity of life, and feel very strongly that no one has the right to take (or assist in taking) another life for any reason. That is why I am very conflicted over abortion.

But no matter what, it is a very personal decision, and one I hope to never have to make.

Reasons to make it legal:

- If it's legal, then painless mechanisms can also be legal
- You can plan for the date of your death without being committed
- Your loved ones can be present without being subject to criminal charges
- Medical personal can be present to help in case you change your mind at the last second

Reasons to keep it criminal:

- irrational religious convictions
- failure to realize safeguards can still be in place to prevent despondent teenagers from buying suicide pills over the counter

I get your reasoning, but I think you are oversimplifing it. And I have no irrational religious convictions, nor am I concerned with teens getting suicide pills. I truly am concerned about a loss of respect for life.

We will just have to agree to disagree.

Good discussion though...

Suicide and assisted suicide are two different things. Even though suicide is illegal, how are they going to punish you when you are dead? Now helping someone who is suffering and wants to die commit suicide, that's a different thing altogether. I say, yeah, that should be legal.

I have been in this position and it IS personal and difficult.

I say yes. We aren't given the choice whether to live but we certainly should be able to decide when we die. If an individual cannot make that most basic and important of choices, how can he possibly be a free person?