Euthanasia is one of the hot topics these days in the news. I cant help but agree with the idea of assisted suicide if you are in excruciating pain with no possible relief.

What I would like to know is what people think of it. Would you want to be able to get your plug pulled in that sort of situation? Do you think you could do it for a family member or loved one?

I'll also put a poll for everyone to vote on.

And please respect people's opinions. This is a case of life and death. It isn't really something to be joked about.

I think the case with the double suicide on the news, was, in a disturbing way, quite sweet. Neither could live without the other and the man didn't want to see his wife in pain any more.

I think if a person is suffering a terminal illness and there is no chance they can recover, that they should have the choice whether to live or not, but it should be done by a professional.

Yeah, I agree with going to a doctor to do it.

I'm sure there are quite a few doctors out there that are willing to help. They would need special accreditation and proof to euthanise someone though.

Yeah there will be a lot of legal stuff as well, like you will need a doctors approval, and then you would need like a judges approval on the legal side of things like with your assets and stuff if you didn't already have a will.

Good memories on this one (y)
The topic on MO btw.. Hahaha.

Let peoples die if they want! Not that hard! if they are screaming, let me die, by golly give them what they want! EASY! Have some respect for the person!
Moralfags.

And emilia, you are sick! Im only sposed to joke around about that stuff! NYAAARGH!

You have already been warned from Mijy to keep this topic serious. Thanks ^^

but... i cant patronise people for the goodness sake of memories?

Nah man.

Back on topic please.

I agree with The Derr, euthanasia should be allowed imo for people in excruciating pain with no hope of recovery. I know, that I would want to die if something like that happened to me and I would be fine to end the life of a loved one to end their pain and see them die in peace, but as was said, I agree that the euthanasia should be performed by a professional doctor in that particular field to make sure that the person doesn't die in pain.

I believe euthanasia is a choice of the individual, or of medical staff if the individual is incapable. One would hope someone steps in on your behalf to assist you if that's what you want. I don't think it is feasible to pass it as a law though, and I would be against that. It opens up too many horror possibilities, and I think it has gone wrong many times in Switzerland where it was passed (assisted suicide).
To have such a law is a very scary thing, and is highly susceptable to abuse. Many doctors and nurses quietly pull the plug on many occasions in the hospital or at home, and people should be able to find some way of suiciding most the time. I think it should be left as is, and often the desperate people who are guilty get very little punishment, for compassionate reasons.
I wonder why advocates like Philip Nitchzke are so hell bent on pushing it so hard. Anyways, thats my two cents lol.

Yeah, I always wondered if murder could be passed on as assisted suicide, but I think I mentioned earlier that people would have to apply for a permit or something so people can't get into trouble.

I think that euthanasia should be allowed, but it can only be done when permission is given by a judge and it has to be overseen by a medical official who is authorised to give out these things. In the case that the person isn't able to make the decision to want to kill them self, they need to have stated that they would want to die in such a case in something like a will.

Yeh Martin, agreed, but the fact you need to get an ok from a judge, would then mean it hasnt been passed into law. I agree with a concept like that, my only argument is that it is something that shouldn't be passed into law, or made legal. It is just too open

The reason that I said that permission should be given by a judge, is so that the system can't be taken advantage off or manipulated. Otherwise, people could try to get out of being condemned guilty for murder, by turning it into euthanasia and if euthanasia becomes legal, then they would get away with it. Making it so that permission has to be given by a judge or some regulatory authority. I mean it doesn't even have to be a judge, the police would be fine imo. Take the forms to the police station beforehand to make them all be looked over and signed if its all good, so that medical person can go through with it. This way, euthanasia can't be done so easily as well and it goes through steps to make sure that everything is within the guidelines and bounds of the law.

If you want to die, you should only be able to do so if in great pain, and are unable to recieve any help, not mental pain though, the emo's would be lining up one after the other...

This is actually something that myself and my family members have had actual contact with. It's a horrible feeling to watch someone when they are simply trapped in their body, when they are a prisoner in their own vessel. Even the effect it has on the people around them is astounding.
If somebody has the wish to end their suffering, then the right wing stagnant values that the Christian and many other churches hold should not be able to get in their way.
Their ways are old and outdated, they have no right to dictate someones right to live how they wish to. Somebody is not able to grasp the emotional immensity that a situation like this brings forth until they have experienced it them self.

It's not something to be dictated by stuck up leaders in their pompous chambers, but it should be left to the people who are effected by it first h and.

Yeah, I totally agree with you pickles, religion and the law just like to keep things simple and don't like the idea of change

Yeah I think permission shouldn't be granted by police or a judge - their job is the law, not medicine or human suffering. I think permission should be granted by the patient's doctor, their social worker or psychologist, or maybe all three (or more). Someone who has been caring and working with the patient. They would have experience of that person's suffering through caring for them and yet they're objective enough in order to make an informed, non-emotional decision.

All valid points for euthanasia and good going on the discussion people.

I too believe that a person who is willing, and in intense pain, should be allowed to take their own life, or have assisted suicide.

But what about when someone is in a coma, pain is one thing, but then never waking up. That can be a torture in itself. The only problem with it is, the person in the coma cant decide. People can go their whole life and never wake up (and I hope i don't offend anyone here) but they can drain quite a lot of money. But on the other hand, the exact same person could wake up from a coma by a miracle.

What do you think should happen in this situation? Should we let go of what is quite possibly a lost cause? Or should we cling to all that we have?

Again, please respect others and their opinions, this can be a delicate subject.

It is thought that people in a coma can still think, but are trapped in their body. I could never pull the plug.

I think people in long term comas should be taken off life support. It's just too traumatic for the family, having to wait for so long in what might be fruitless hope. It'd be hard to grieve when the person is still alive, but not really. They're there, but totally out of it, not doing anything except breathing.

I've heard that too Emilia. But if I was in a coma, able to think and be aware...I'd go crazy not being able to live my life properly. Trapped in my own head with just my thoughts for company, that would drive me insane.

Money isn't an issue for me, nothing is worth money like good health.

I didn't specifically mean that permission needs to be given by a judge or some police official emily, that would really be the job of the medical official, i just meant something like that it should get a signature from some official of law as well, as a witness type of thing, to confirm that everything has been taken into account and that all the paperwork has been filled out before the death. Because, otherwise any medical professional who may have done an operation and accidentally killed the patient could try to turn into euthanasia to avoid any legal remafications, the idea of a judge or police official overseeing the paper work before hand is like an extra precaution to make sure that the system couldn't be taken advantage of, that's all i really meant, the medical person would really be the one giving the permission.

And for the case of a coma, I think they should have the right to die as well if they want to James. Obviously, they couldn't decide to kill themselves in that case, but that is what a will is for.

Oh yeah, having a legal overseer the way you describe is a good idea. I thought you meant just having a legal person make the final decision.

But I thought wills were for after you were dead? Perhaps you can arrange for you to be taken off life support if it were to happen.

But what if you hadn't? What would you want if you were to lapse into a coma right now? never to wake up again? Do you think your loved one should be allowed to make the choice to take your life for you?