Following a discussion last night (over an ale) to which nobody knew the answer, I thought I'd ask the assemble ranks of the STW collective, so the question is:
If our lives are our own, why is suicide illegal?
(yeah I know, bit deep for first thing on a Thursday)

cheers all, and have a good day now

It's not.

Because of the Catch 22 theory I assume. (Assuming you mean assisted suicide that is – it's pretty pointless sending a corpse to court then on to jail).

Assisted suicide – Illegal (You are taking someone's life, consented or otherwise)

Suicide – Not illeagal

de criminalised in 1961
Largely religous opposition to suicide see also the euthenasia objections.

It is gods will you should suffer and waste away in a horrible way before your loved ones to inevitablly die without dignity and in pain. Apparently this suffering for you and you loved ones is a sign of gods love for you.
Ditto self suicide – it is a sin to take a life even your own….unless of course you are doing this for god via a holy war/jihad etc then it is back to being fine again.
No reason I can think of to make it illegal but it is trully horrible for the families , especially the parents, if it is a non illness related suicide.

Suicide (and thus also attempted suicide) was illegal under English Law, known as Felo de se, but ceased to be an offence with the passing of the Suicide Act 1961

(From wiki)

However assisting someone else's suicide is illegal. The reasons for that are pretty obvious and often the subject of discussion in the media.

I thought this was a PSA re Friday night.

But correct, suicide is legal, though it used to be a crime.

Suicide is not an offence in itself. The offence was abolished by the Suicide Act 1961. (Section 1 simply reads: "The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a person to commit suicide is hereby abrogated.").

However, aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring someone else's suicide or attempted suicide is guilty of an offence punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment. The offence requires the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute.

Suicide was a crime because it was not believed that a person's life was their own for these purposes – the origin of the prohibition is religious. When that belief ceased to be as widely accepted the law was changed.

Suicide is however a form of antisocial behaviour, which is sick.

[EDIT: Slow today…]

However, if you are actively trying to kill yourself, the police will try to stop you, presumably as their role is to protect life and you can be detained in a public place to protect yourself from yourself. Not sure what happens in your own home, seems to vary from officer to officer.

while we're being morbid

Suicide – Not illeagal

It should carry the death penalty.

Suicide – Not illeagal

It should carry the death penalty.

Reminds me of the days when prisoners on 'death row' were put on suicide watch to prevent them from spoiling the hangman's day. Including an article I read where a bloke managed to procure a knife and cut his own throat, but was saved and nursed back to health including waiting for the wound to heal sufficiently. Wouldn't want that rough rope rubbing his sore neck while he was waiting for his neck to get broken……

That ASBO seems fair enough to me!

meehaja, if you are trying to kill yourself at home, the police can use the Mental Incapacity Act 2005 to remove you to a mental hospital. The reason this may vary from officer to officer is usually down to knowledge of the Act, as although it was drawn up in 2005 has only recently been communicated to officers.