The Legalization Of Assisted Suicide - 1650 Words

While suicide itself is no longer considered a crime within the United States, physician-assisted suicide remains illegal. This practice, despite being closely related, varies from euthanasia. These two practices are distinguished by who administers the lethal dose that kills the patient; euthanasia is administered by a doctor whereas assisted suicide is the patient’s voluntary consumption of a fatal medication that was prescribed by a doctor. Despite the variation, both practices are currently considered manslaughter. However, physician-assisted suicide is currently being reevaluated by at least 18 states across the nation. Contrasting opinions, derived from an individual s personal values, have led to a debate over whether this practice is morally acceptable. While those in favor of the legalization of assisted suicide consider it cruel to force terminally ill patients to live, others believe that it would endanger the weak, corrupt the practice of medicine, compromise famil y relationships, and betray human dignity. According to Newsweek, even with safeguards in place, the weak and the marginalized are endangered by physician-assisted suicide. Multiple government sponsored surveys within the Netherlands, where this practice is legal, reveal that there have been thousands of cases where doctors administered lethal injections without permission and failed to report it to authorities. This shows that some doctors have abused their position to unlawfully murder theirShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Assisted Suicide1280 Words   |  6 PagesSupreme Court ruled that there is neither a constitutional right nor a constitutional prohibition of assisted suicide. This ruling allowed for Oregon state to begin to â€Å"experimenting† with the legalization. Though, the majority of states continue to stand firmly behind their decision on the legalization of assisted suicide. On one hand, people find this issue to be unethical, that assisted suicide only exterminates the possibility of recovery. On t he other hand, people believe that patients who haveRead MoreThe Legalization Of Assisted Suicide2314 Words   |  10 PagesThe ongoing disagreements within the legalization of Assisted Suicide are never ending. In the modern healthcare field, assisted suicide has many problems faced upon the unsafe environments and the abuse within the laws provided. As we live on a day to day basis, new and improved technologies shape the medical field. It is the professional s job to be up to date on what is going on whether it is the physical issues or world matters. Most see assisted suicide as a terrible form to go about takingRead MoreThe Legalization of Assisted Suicide1291 Words   |  5 PagesAssisted Suicide has through out history caused controversy among our society. There are two sides to this issue, one that passionately supports it, and those who religiously disagree. I believe that assisted suicide should become legal for several reasons. Assisted suicide gives individuals the rig ht to end their suffering when they personally feel that their time has come to die. Assisted suicide should become legal because if one can decide to put an animal out of its misery, why shouldn’t thatRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide976 Words   |  4 Pagesmake the last months of a person’s life as comfortable as possible, ultimately palliative and hospice care become ineffective in helping with the excruciating pain. Thus, the legalization of physician assisted suicide provides a compassionate death while preserving the concept of patient autonomy. Physician-assisted suicide enables terminally ill patients to die comfortably and peacefully in their own homes. Terminally ill patients suffer through constant pain in their final months, and there remainsRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide1265 Words   |  6 PagesParker March, 14, 2015 Assisted Suicide Introduction There are several ethical and legal issues that are raised by the majority concerning the legalization of physician assisted suicide and the role of nurses in the process. Assisted suicide is a legal act of assisting those who are suffering from a deadly illness in ending their lives by providing them the means to do it (Griffith, 2014). Netherland was the first country to legalize physician assisted suicide. In 1994, Oregon becameRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide1720 Words   |  7 PagesIt is obvious discussing physician-assisted suicide is a very controversial issue that is discussed daily by those who wish to die to avoid loss of dignity and also by those who think it is unethical. For physician-assisted suicide to even be considered, the patient must be of sound mind when they are requesting death with dignity. Physician-assisted suicide should be a legal option for people who are unable to end their own lives. However, there should be safeg uards to prevent any sort of abuseRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide1984 Words   |  8 PagesAnthony Zhang 4.29.15 Period 3B Living in Pain or Death with Dignity The legalization of physician assisted suicide (PAS) in Oregon in 1994 changed the face of the argument between those who believe in death with dignity and those who believe in letting nature take its course. It was a major victory for PAS advocates as the first state in America had legalized PAS in the country’s history. In 2008, the neighboring state of Washington followed suit with a similar law and legalized PAS by a 58-42Read MoreLEGALIZATION OF ASSISTED SUICIDE IN THE U.S. Currently, physician-assisted suicide or death is2900 Words   |  12 PagesLEGALIZATION OF ASSISTED SUICIDE IN THE U.S. Currently, physician-assisted suicide or death is illegal in all states except Oregon, Vermont, Montana and Washington. Present law in other states express that suicide is not a crime, but assisting in suicide is. Supporters of legislation legalizing assisted suicide claim that the moral right to life should encompass the right to voluntary death. Opponents of assisted suicide claim that society has a moral and civic duty to preserve the lives of innocentRead MoreLegalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide820 Words   |  4 Pages In February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada made a momentous decision that would legalize physician-assisted death within a year. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS), in simple words, means doctors prescribe a lethal dose of medication that patients take themselves. The question that whether the Criminal Code provisions should prohibit physician-assisted suicide has been discussed in public for several decades. Actually, decriminalizing PAS may cause some sorts of abuses, but not decriminalizingRead MoreThe Need for the Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide2485 Words   |  10 Pagesprevent death. Many people turn to a procedure known as Physician-Assisted suicide, a process by which a doctor aids in ending a terminally ill patient’s life. This procedure is painless and effective, allowing patients to control their death and alleviate unnecessary suffering. In spite of these benefits, Physician-Assisted suicide is illegal in many places both nationally and internationally. Despite the fact that Physician-Assisted suicide is opposed by many Americans and much of the world on ethical