Assisted Suicide

[lizbud]

The Supreme court recently upheld Oregon's Assisted suicide law.I was
wondering who here would support such a law in their state? I think I would
support it in Indiana even if I never used it myself. What do you think?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10891536/

[Corinna]

I'm for it with strict guidelines

[Suki Wingy]

I'm totally for it. I don't see how people can call themselves pro-life if they are ok with going to war but not ok with euthenising people who are going to die a painful death in a year anyway. We do it for our animals because we don't want to see them suffer, why can't dieing people have the choise to do it to themselves?

[moosmom]

After watching my mother die a slow, agonizing death from cancer, I am all for the right to die with dignity. If we are able to euthanize animals and end their suffering, then we sure as hell should be able to do the same for people. I NEVER want to go through what my Mom went through. Physician assisted or not (my hero is Dr. Kevorkian), when the time comes, you can be damn sure that I will do what I believe is right for me. We live in a free country, not a dictatorship.

I am also a staunch supporter of the Hemlock Society.

[caseysmom]

I am for it in theory, unfortunately human beings often corrupt good intentions. With out pets we have nothing to gain from their passing, only our pain sometimes a selfish pet owner wants to end their troubles but more often than not it is with good intentions.

[G.P.girl]

I am 100% for it. Because i know that if i were in that position I would rather end my life then make myself and family keep suffering. Also i think the governmant has no right to tell anyone whether they are allowed to die or not. Its just another way for them to control our lives more (same as abortion)

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Totally for it! Would love to have relieved Dad's suffering and if I go the same way I hope that someone will help me (as long as they don't start forming a queue ;) )

[sasvermont]

Totally for it! I hope that someone will help me (as long as they don't start forming a queue ;) )

:eek:

[elizabethann]

If we are able to euthanize animals and end their suffering, then we sure as hell should be able to do the same for people. I NEVER want to go through what my Mom went through. Physician assisted or not (my hero is Dr. Kevorkian), when the time comes, you can be damn sure that I will do what I believe is right for me. We live in a free country, not a dictatorship.

Ditto.

[smokey the elder]

I'm for it, with strong safeguards against corrupt physicians. I agree that if we can have a suffering animal PTS, then why can't a human being make that decision for him/herself?

[Laura's Babies]

I am for it too. Years ago I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder that was extreemly painful and for 3 solid weeks, I could not eat or sleep because of the intense pain, nothing the doctor gave me, would give me any relief.. If I had to live my life in that kind of pain, I knew what I would do and I told my doctor that. It is the individual person choice of how much pain they can/should suffer. Until I went through that, I couldn't decide how I felt about assisted suicide..

[cocker_luva]

I'm totally for it. I don't see how people can call themselves pro-life if they are ok with going to war but not ok with euthenising people who are going to die a painful death in a year anyway. We do it for our animals because we don't want to see them suffer, why can't dieing people have the choise to do it to themselves?

That is exactly what i think!!! well said.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I see it as somewhat different than putting an animal down.... in that it is the person making the choice.... it is my life...I should be able to end it if I so chose. (Not for a minute to suggest that euthanizing is not the correct thing to do....just the difference...)

[moosmom]

E.s.

Amen To That!!!!

[lizbud]

I see it as somewhat different than putting an animal down.... in that it is the person making the choice.... it is my life...I should be able to end it if I so chose. (Not for a minute to suggest that euthanizing is not the correct thing to do....just the difference...)


I do understand the differences. A human is the only animal that can
in fact make the choice. We, as guardians of our pets, make the choice
that the dog is incapable of making.

[Uabassoon]

I am very much for it. I'm not afraid of death, but I am afraid of waiting to die. I don't want to be in a hospital bed in pain for days or months just waiting to die. Not only that but the thought of having to put my loved ones through that. It's my body and I think I should have the right to have a peaceful death.

[Lady's Human]

I would agree with it if I saw a law with iron clad protection ( I know nothing is perfect, but as strong as they can make it) from corrupt doctors (hey doc, this hosp. care is cutting into our inheritance. We'll give you x if you say mom wanted to kill herself).

Without that, there's too much of a chance for wrongful death.

[CathyBogart]

I am definitely for it, and would support it in my area. I don't think I would ever use it myself, but everyone should have the right to choose.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I would agree with it if I saw a law with iron clad protection ( I know nothing is perfect, but as strong as they can make it) from corrupt doctors (hey doc, this hosp. care is cutting into our inheritance. We'll give you x if you say mom wanted to kill herself).

Without that, there's too much of a chance for wrongful death.

And yet....we put people to death (death penalty) without being iron clad sure they are guilty. (See the number of people exonerated by DNA!)

[Barbara]

I want to be able to chose myself.
On the other hand I don't think any human has the right to decide that another person can be killed. So if someone has written down that he wants not be kept alive in koma or whatever then it should be possible for that person to die.
In the Netherlands and in Switzerland where assisted suicide is not punished there have been way too many problems to let you feel relaxed about it: people who suffered under untreated depressions and who were not physically sick at all, people in which case someone wanted to inherit, organizations who helped but took money away from the sick........

[Lady's Human]

ES, I'd be happy to debate the death penalty, but that's not the topic of the thread. Nice try, though.

[JenBKR]

Well, I think I'd be for it with strict guidelines. I've never been in a situation where it was something that came up, so it's kinda hard to say.

[Cataholic]

I would agree with it if I saw a law with iron clad protection ( I know nothing is perfect, but as strong as they can make it) from corrupt doctors (hey doc, this hosp. care is cutting into our inheritance. We'll give you x if you say mom wanted to kill herself).

Without that, there's too much of a chance for wrongful death.


Isn't that an example of greedy relatives, rather than a corrupt doctor? Surprised you didn't somehow work sleazy lawyers into the picture there....Oh, wait, they would be the ones drafting the 'iron clad' law that someone out there would than want to sue under!

[Corinna]

Some how I do have trouble beleiving you are a lawyer Johanna.

[Lady's Human]

I'm not going to split hairs over the english language. And no, lawyers would not neccesarily write the required legislation. I think a man named Madison did some pretty fine legal writing without being a lawyer.

[Cataholic]

I'm not going to split hairs over the english language. And no, lawyers would not neccesarily write the required legislation. I think a man named Madison did some pretty fine legal writing without being a lawyer.

You wouldn't be splitting hairs over the English language. You would be saying something along the lines of "Oh, you are right. I should have called the relatives corrupt, not the doctors".

I don't think I know Madison...oh, wait, you mean Dolly Madison! Yeah, I like those alright....with milk.

[Cataholic]

Some how I do have trouble beleiving you are a lawyer Johanna.

Believe it, woman, believe it. I have the student loan debt to prove it. :D

[Lady's Human]

A relative bribing a doctor would be corrupt. A doctor accepting the bribe would be corrupt.The relative could not accomplish the act without the doctor. Therefore, while the relative is the instigator, the doctor would be the actor. Both would be on trial for murder and conspiracy charges. The doctor performing the "assisted suicide" would in this case be committing a severe abuse of his/her position. It matters not who is more corrupt, but without a corrupt doctor it doesn't happen.


BTW, the Madison I was referring to wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

[Cataholic]

A relative bribing a doctor would be corrupt. A doctor accepting the bribe would be corrupt.The relative could not accomplish the act without the doctor. Therefore, while the relative is the instigator, the doctor would be the actor. Both would be on trial for murder and conspiracy charges. The doctor performing the "assisted suicide" would in this case be committing a severe abuse of his/her position. It matters not who is more corrupt, but without a corrupt doctor it doesn't happen.

Yikes. What 'matters' is that you are rendering a legal opinion without license! :eek:

[Lady's Human]

Cataholic, it's not a legal opinion, no one is paying me for advice, therefore no laws are being broken. It's an opinion.


Unlike what happens in too many courtrooms, it's also common sense.

[Cataholic]

Back off, folks....he is going POSTAL! :D

[smokey the elder]

Do we need a referee? ;) :p

[RICHARD]

First of all

It's not suicide if it's assisted. It's euthanasia.

I figured I'd split some hairs here...and why bring lawyers into it at this point?

It's the post-mortem stuff that they would be more interested in.

Depending on how the hospital is set up and who runs it, most of the money goes to the facility-not the doctor.

You have staffing, tests, bed space to pay for.

If it is a small for-profit hospital you can bet that the docs will keep a patient in for the ducats to keep the place running. I work for an HMO so the money don't go to the docs....of course, they do not want to keep people in to generate money....

Then there is a mysterious thing called a DRG, Diagnosis Related Group.

It gives the doc and facility a 'schedule' as to what the government will reimburse the docs/facilities for how long a patient can be kept in a hospital. After that schedule is up, TOUGH BED PANS, the facility will have to eat that expense..

Then you have a family either driven by greed, sorrow or the inability or unwillingness to accept a loved one in a long term care situation.

Also you have to take into consideration that a physician can (and will be)
sued and possibly lose their license for letting that happen on their watch.

----------------------------

You can have a DNR (Do not resuscitate) order put in your chart-

It tells the physician that no one is to attempt to revive you in the case you are in the situation where you will expire....

While it's not a euthanasia-type order, it's pretty close and I have seen hundreds of them in my job.

-------------------------------

They only reason that this issue has become at the top of the newpage is the Schiavo case.

That was a total CF because there was no discussion or notation of what her desires were.

If you do not desire to be kept alive should you fall into a coma, suffer a injury/disease that prevents you from making that decision on your own, do not trust a conversation, held late one night with a loved one, to bind someone to keep your wish....


Not trying to tilt the thread one way or the other.....Merely spending two cents.

[lizbud]

Oregon's law is called Death With Dignity Act and it has many
requirements. The Drs don't even have to touch the person, only
provide the prescription for the drugs used. Here's a bunch of Q & A's
about the law.

http://egov.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml

[Lady's Human]

Liz, with appropriate safeguards I'm fine with it. Just some publicized incidents out of holland give me pause.

[slick]

If I ever get to the point of being terminally ill, I give you all permission to take me out back and shoot me.

I'm a firm believer of "dying with dignity". It's my life....maybe I had no say when to be born, but it's my right to choose when to die. Great law, Lizbud. I just might make move if it ever comes to that.

[moosmom]

AMEN to that Slick!!

In CT, you can be arrested if you attempt suicide and you fail?