Should doctor assisted euthanasia be legal in USA? What are the the risks & rewards? If it's illegal where you live would you assist a relative?

[DrPepper12]

Lawmakers in Britain voted on Friday to allow assisted dying for terminally ill patients in England and Wales under strict conditions, opening the way to one of the most profound social changes in the country in decades.

After five hours of debate in the House of Commons, they voted by 330 to 275 to support a plan that would allow doctors to help patients with less than six months to live to end their lives

Assisted dying is legal in a handful of European countries, Canada, New Zealand, and in 10 U. S. states California, Colorado, DC, Hawaii, Maine, Montana (authorized by court ruling), New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont & Washington. Federal law in the United States does not provide a constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide. The U. S. Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that states have the authority to decide whether to legalize or criminalize physician-assisted suicide, as it is not protected under the Constitution's Due Process Clause. This decision allows individual states to establish their own laws regarding medical aid in dying, resulting in a patchwork of regulations across the country.

The decision in Westminster followed weeks of fraught, often emotional public debate in Britain on a complex ethical question that has transcended political affiliations and provoked sharp disagreement.

The bill that lawmakers approved on Friday would apply to a narrow group: Applicants would have to be over 18, diagnosed with a terminal illness and have been given six months or less to live. Two doctors and a judge would be required to approve a patient’s choice to end their life, and fatal drugs would have to be self-administered.

Yes. I support doctor AND FAMILY euthanasia

Yes I support doctor assisted ONLY

No I do NOT support doctor or family assist

I support FAMILY assist but couldn't assist them myself

[Ladsin2]

Interesting question. If you had asked me a few years ago I was a big proponent of the right to euthanasia. That said I don't think it's been implemented well in the countries that have allowed it and that makes me dubious about whether or not it can be done well so I'm significantly more averse to it than I was a few years ago. When euthenasia is an option it appears to be sought by healthcare providers to readily either due to finances or because it's easier.

The prime example that comes to mind being Cpl Christine Gauthier in Canada who wanted a lift installed in her home due to being wheelchair bound. For some reason Canada's government wouldn't approve it, or it was taking a long time to get installed. Thus the government official wrote to her that if she was so desperate for a lift they could instead send her equipment to help her die.

I also think it's a perversion to have doctors offering death to patients rather than treatment options. So I suppose at the moment I'm closer to C.

[DrPepper12]

I respect that

[Ladsin2]

In Canada MAID is now the 5th leading cause of death in the country and accessible for mental illness. Do you think this is appropriate? As a more libertarian fellow I think we should have the right to determine our manner of death if possible, but at a certain point it seems more like exploitation to me.

[DrPepper12]

Yeah I'm only for it if there's very robust investigation and medical proof as well as finances of the potential decedent

[FoxnEagle]

As a resident of New Mexico, and having worked as a caregiver at an old folks home, I say no.

If they are truly set to die in six months, stopping any medications they are currently on and giving them pain medication has the same effect.

If they are on deathbed, intubated, etc. and wish to pass on, but are unable to remove the tube themselves, at that point I am wholeheartedly for family assistance.

If you want to see where this leads, just look at Canada. When you can talk about "putting down" your Grandma like you can your dog, there's something wrong.

[DrPepper12]

Why? It's out of concern n empathy.

[FoxnEagle]

Slippery slope and a few bad apples ruining it for everyone.
Right now, it may be "the person has to ask for it and must request it themselves in a sound state of mind"
Then, inevitably, some sob stories will come out where someone was unable to request it for whatever reason, or were determined to not be in a sound state of mind, and their suffering will be all over the news and social media.
Then, out of empathy, the ruling becomes "the person or Medical Power of Attorney can request it"
And then you're mixing family, someone's life, inheritance, and the law all together and that has too many avenues for issues.
A diagnosis for six months to live is not hard to come by with certain diseases/conditions. Numerous times we've had people bounce back, and we've had people go on hospice and end-of-life care and then back off of it multiple times as well. Some of them with less than ideal attitudes would absolutely kiss the barrel and pull if they were given the chance when they're suffering; yet when they bounce back, they're some of the most fun people and once again, live life to the fullest.

Medical Power of Attorney is already a fairly damning, albeit necessary, ruling that gets abused already; I have seen someone medicate their mother to death.

[DrPepper12]

This may sound callous even inhumane, but I'm willing to risk those few bad apples who are murdering for an inheritance in order for the vast majority to get out of the pain and suffering that they're experiencing. I guess you could consider letting them exist and deteriorate is just as inhumane and callous as murder for inheritance. No easy answers on this one But your points are very well founded and reasoned - an increasing rarity on this site...

[Gold618]

No, never. "Assisted suicide" is just a crude euphemism for murder. Killing off people who are no longer "convenient" to have around, or who are (as the Nazis would say) "useless eaters" is the first step towards gulags and concentration camps. People thought it could never happen in Germany, but it did because people were persuaded by the arguments they used, which included, "Because your relative is in pain, and they're going to die anyway, let's just hasten the job. It's the compassionate thing to do. Don't you agree?" It's dehumanising. Death is never "dignified", so there is no such thing as "death with dignity"!

Just look at Canada and the Netherlands right now, and what they're doing. Don't go down that dark and dangerous path.

[DrPepper12]

Why prolong agony? For what possible reason? I have agency and free will and I'll decide how and when I'll check out.

[Gold618]

One could easily and convincingly argue that life from the moment of birth is "prolonged agony", and for many people with mental illnesses like autism and schizophrenia, it is. Does that mean we should do the "compassionate" thing and end their lives?

[Anonymous]

I would rather have straight and correct assistance should something go wrong and cause pain or suffering, such as regular suicide. If someone has a terminal illness they should be allowed to make choices for themselves
I assist pets when they are suffering. Why not relatives.

[NaultD]

I'm a fairly radical freedom liberal. This is the one topic got me clutching pearls like a republican middle age Karen. Think of the children bad faith in me.

Suiside can turn into local epidemics. So on average Suiside impacts 110 people. Then 10 more very deeply. Like a rippling effect from coworkers kids friend neighbor teammate. people just talk lot of people need to but some...

So In tight nit communitys 2 Suisides in close time frame turns to 20 and that's devastating like federal government national crisis emergency. Then when a famous person commits Suiside it has a notable impact.

I get that euthanasia is different. It's still really rough for me. I'm still scared of it personally. I like being overly optimistic and stubborn on things. This i have to take a backseat on when I hate people who take backseat for my important things.

[NaultD]

My concern is

Is euthanasia statistically different then Suisides? If they are fundamentally different do they potentially lower Suiside impacts. That would be my greatest hope.

Only way to get that math is going forward. In a way makes me respect conservatives with forethought at the same time conservatives with forethought is far and few between.

[BetaBucks]

Strong yes. A person owns their own life. If they want to end it, it's their choice. For any reason. No one should assist in ending someone's life if that person has dependent care responsibilities though, but that's unrelated to the broader concept. Or children, because they can't consent. Also a separate concept.

[Ladsin2]

You can't prosecute someone after they're dead. My understanding of this question is if we should give suicidal people assistance, and if we should under what circumstances.

[slippery2000]

I have always been a supporter of the hemlock society, final exit network, and compassion and choices. I have derick Humphreys book "Final exit" as well as his book "good life, good death". I have always been borderline suicidal and fascinated with the idea of throwing in the towel but the idea of how it would affect my wife and kids and maybe an occasional family member or two keeps me living for them. If I didn't have them in my life chances are I would 100% be on board with euthanasia.

[DrPepper12]

I hope you are in therapy. I find it very helpful. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

[slippery2000]

Trust me, I'm very well aware of this and this has been years of going back and forth with the idea. I've been in several programs and seen several different therapists and currently still go to therapy but the downside of therapy is that you can't always be 100% transparent and honest with them until you get a good relationship going with them and they get time to know you and your way of thinking. Was landed in 2 different mental hospitals in 2 separate states for being honest before and that didn't really help me with my trust of therapists after the fact.

[jshm2]

Hell no! There is no guarantee that the person will "die" in that time. In fact, many tend to recover, or live beyond.

Also, the real debate is what protections will be put in place to stop families and relatives pressuring relatives to "assisted suicide". Mainly so they can cash in their life insurance, or save on care.

[DrPepper12]

A judge. I believe there is some kind of financial disclosure requirement

[slatyb]

Currently this is a matter of state law. It is legal in some states including Washington where I live.

[DrPepper12]

Lucky. Not here I'm NY yet... Unless you're a pet 🤔🙄

[RavVid]

It exists anyway and it is called 'not for resus'/palitative care. Take an elderly relative. The family will be asked if they do or don't want resuscitation i. e every effort made to keep that person alive. Not necessarily appropriate if their body is shutting down.

At the same time that elderly relative might just be kept as comfortable as possible. it is much the same thing but death occurs by benign neglect.

[Dongie]

I'll tell you how I feel. If a person wants to they can. It's not like they'll go to jail for offing themselves. So why not? It's a sad state of affairs.

[Juxtapose]

Look at what happened to Canada where they're encouraging people to kill themselves instead of getting treated.

[DrPepper12]

False

[Juxtapose]

No that is absolutely true. I know you love the AP so I am more than willing to use them as a source here:

"According to the Associated Press, hospitals are raising the possibility of assisted suicide with patients who hadn't asked about it. These conversations are not motivated by quality of life but health care costs."

"This is not the case in Canada, where health care workers are trained to inform patients that they can choose euthanasia if they have a qualifying condition. This has led to some patients, particularly those with disabilities but not necessarily fatal illnesses, having some unpleasant conversations. One provided a recording to the Associated Press:

Roger Foley, who has a degenerative brain disorder and is hospitalized in London, Ontario, was so alarmed by staffers mentioning euthanasia that he began secretly recording some of their conversations.

In one recording obtained by the AP, the hospital's director of ethics told Foley that for him to remain in the hospital, it would cost "north of $1,500 a day." Foley replied that mentioning fees felt like coercion and asked what plan there was for his long-term care.

"Roger, this is not my show," the ethicist responded. "My piece of this was to talk to you, (to see) if you had an interest in assisted dying."

Foley said he had never previously mentioned euthanasia. The hospital says there is no prohibition on staff raising the issue."

[Juxtapose]

"Last June, the Medical Assistance in Dying Committee heard from Trish Nichols, whose suicidal and severely mentally ill brother Alan was given assisted death at a Chilliwack, B. C., hospital in 2019, at a time when MAID was still limited only to Canadians with a terminal illness.

Alan had been taken by his family to the hospital only days before to recover from a psychiatric episode, and in the minutes before he received a lethal injection, Trish described Alan screaming uncontrollably, despite the hospital's assurances that he had opted for a medically assisted death while "of sound mind."

It should be uncontroversial to note that a person voluntarily agreeing to assisted suicide should not be screaming when it happens."

reason.com/.../

[In_Trance]

No I don't think so we should all be stuck on this shitshow of a planet together

[seeyounexttuesday]

absolutely not. Canada is killing its citizens for sport, now.

[DrPepper12]

No. No it's not.

[seeyounexttuesday]

Yeah, it is

www.telegraph.co.uk/.../

[msc545]

Not in the US. It is not safe, as too many people here are money hungry, especially the women.

[DrPepper12]

There are safeguards

[jimmy2]

All we can do is called a Living Will
This is where 2 doctors approve and the dying one ask for it then
You take all food and water away most pass away in 10 to 12 days
My wife took 19 days I call that torture

[jimmy2]

I live in Texas and we treat inmates better they get a mix of toctale and pass in 10 minutes

[Likes2drive]

Depends how much pain they are in and how long to live

[DrPepper12]

Absolutely. Doctors plural need to sign off

[Likes2drive]

Yes a doctor so they don’t do it wrong and suffer

[beefcakebradybatson]

Trumpsters' brains have been euthanized !!!

[DrPepper12]

Truth rating: 100% true

[beefcakebradybatson]

KNEW IT !!!