Assisted Suicide – for or against

Watched the Terry Pratchet- Dimblemby lecture last night where he spoke quite eloquently on the subject. My Life my death as a simplification of his view on this moral issue.
Personally I agree that at times we are prolonging death rather than life, there is a quality threshold that once exceeded means I would not want to live and I accept that it is someone freedom to choose – as it is with so many other issues- about their own life/death. There are some complex issues regarding mental capacity deciding if it is OK but overall I am in favour of allowing/permitting this.
Wondered what the STW consensus – could happen- was on this.

for.

I'd have to come down on the "For" side here, but there have to be proper safeguards in place. How those safeguards are set is a task which needs serious work.

Always been for it. It is humane to put an animal down when their life isn't worth living and it should be humane to do it to a human.

For.

For

but what about a young adult who is a jehova's witness wanting to die rather than take a life saving blood transfusion, or even a child? would you say its OK for them to die?

OK for them to die?

No. But parents maybe.

For.
But for purely selfish reasons – I mean if someone unrelated or who I don't know needs to die, it means absolutely nothing to me.

For

For.

Very very good, thought provoking peice that by Terry, and superbly read by Tony Robinson.

For. Definatly. Having seen people close to me die in hospices, we wouldnt put dogs through what we put people through.

For.

Our lives, our deaths indeed. Yes, there are issues surrounding it that have to be addressed, but there are with everything.

Me & my wife will help each other die if required
& neither of us really cares if that means we end up in prison
If it becomes necessary & were old, we'll both go together

For, no question.

for (with safeguards)

for.

I too watched the lecture.
Very well expressed.
Worth a watch again.

My father has Alzheimers

This is my effort to raise some £$£ for the Society.

In principle for.

for

I don't think it's that simple. Had a conversation with a family member once who said they don't want heroic efforts made to save them or prolong their life i certain circumstances, which in effect abdicates that responsibility to others to make, do I let them die, or do I let them live? it's a terrible decision to force onto others. Where does this leave the Hippocratic Oath of doctors? How do you safeguard against errors, what if you change your mind at the last minute, but can't communicate it?

Death comes to us all eventually, I'm in no hurry to hasten it's arrival for me or others.

as ever, the mash sums up my opinion beautifully:

Someone you don't know with a horrible disease wants a close friend or relative to help them end their lives – what the fnck has it got to do with you?[/url]

For – with safeguards.

For.

I have seen a lot of death both in my own family and in my professional role. A decent dignified death surrounded by our loved ones is the best we can do at the end of our lives and must be the aim for us all.

My grandfather committed suicide. He had been unwell with chronic illness for some time. His wife had died previously and his life was miserable but he had no life threatening condition. One night he took an overdose of painkillers. He did not die at that time and was taken into hospital. As with all hospital admissions for overdosage he was seen by a consultant psychiatrist before discharge who sad. "he is sane and has a sane and rational desire to die" After he returned home he had his prescription for strong painkillers stopped which made him even more miserable. after 3 months the strong painkillers were restarted and he then took another overdose. He took a fortnight to die. He had bedsores and a chest infection. At one point he said to my mother " all I wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up"

In a humane society he would have been allowed to end his life in a painfree and dignified way at a time of his choosing. Instead the trauma of his death was made worse for all concerned. Fortunately the doctors involved were humane and did not take any steps to prolong his death further.

I have seen many folk who are waiting to die in undignified circumstances. I would not wish it upon anyone. I think we all should have the right to die at a time of our choosing.

For

TJ thats a touching story and sums up why I am "for"

for

for off mrs mcgroo too.

don't know

For – with safeguards.

For ( with safeguards )

for. Great lecture by Terry/Tony.
That Daily Mash article is spot on.

for

and i think bill hicks knew how to go about it
……..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2uv8d-G_Fk

For.

HERE is the link to the lecture.

I watched my dad slowly die last year it took 9 hours before he finally passed. We all said you wouldn't let an animal go through what he did. I'm definitely for it.

"My own affairs are nobody else's business".

Unless the drugs had stopped working and I was in unbearable pain, I wouldn't want to be assisted.

Even if I had Alzheimer's, I still want to be able to suck every last second of life out of being alive that I could.

Rage. Rage against the dying of the light.

Very much for.

But as many have mentioned, getting the safe guards in place is the worry. Got to make things stringent enough to make sure people aren't offing relatives, but also don't want the process so drawn out that it almost defeats the point of being able to end your life when the quality of life issue has long gone.

nasher – Member

For

but what about a young adult who is a jehova's witness wanting to die rather than take a life saving blood transfusion, or even a child? would you say its OK for them to die?

If they are competent in law then clearly yes.

Mr Woppit – that is your choice and one you must be allowed to take. I would fight to allow you to have your choice in the matter no matter how much it is against my views.

I have been put in exactly that position. A man who could not express his wishes was clearly dying. His family had told me that they wanted every possible thing done for hi, Accordingly I dialled 999 and sent him to hospital. His / their choice. it would not have been my choice but I must respect his and his families wishes. I would always do so.

For. Totally.

Wife & I in agreement that if either became a vegetable (sorry, PC term evades me) then we'd do the kindest thing.

I'll be raging right next to MrWoppit when the reaper comes for me.

But I sincerely agree with assisted suicide.

Had a conversation with a family member once who said they don't want heroic efforts made to save them or prolong their life

EVERYONE should have this conversation with their close family. My wife knows that as long as I have basic cognitive function I'd rather be alive, and I know she'd rather be dead.

Where does this leave the Hippocratic Oath of doctors?

Doctors at the moment are frequently left to make horrible decisions about withholding treatment, not resuscitating, or not "feeding" certain patients who wish to die. They can't currently assist them to die, but they can choose not to attempt to prevent death, if the patients wishes are clear.