'Should Assisted Suicide be allowed?' poll discussion

esuhl

I couldn't agree more, redglass!

Errata

So who are these angels of death that will pass the pills to the dying to die teenager/young mum/neurotic ? Their relatives? Doubtful. Medical and nursing staff? Unfair.
I wonder if anyone who's all for assisted suicide would be happy to pass the pills to their beloved and still young parent or teenager.

bookworm1363

My father had just turned 50 when he died and yes, any of us would have done so if we could have without getting thrown in jail.

aurora_borealis_2

You're asking the wrong questions.

You need to be asking, are we prepared to pay for full and equitable provision of palliative care?

mrskaykins

My only problem would be that murderers like Harold Shipman could fall through the net and abuse it.

aurora_borealis_2

Oh, and the wrong people (except those here living with a terminal diagnosis).

bookworm1363

mrskaykins wrote: »

My only problem would be that murderers like Harold Shipman could fall through the net and abuse it.

People like him already do, regardless of the law... I think possibly a better controlled system might help preventing the likes of him, actually.

ceridwen

I certainly think - nay, am absolutely categorically sure that every person has the right to decide for themselves whether they wish/need to commit suicide (assisted or otherwise). It is entirely their decision alone.

I also believe that everyone has the right to receive a full range of palliative care instead - if THAT is their decision.

There should be no pressure of any description either way - the person themselves has the absolute right to decide what happens about their own body and life. The person themselves decides whether to put an end to their lives on the one hand - or seek palliative care on the other hand.

Finances - either their own personal ones or NHS resources are TOTALLY irrelevant. The NHS as an organisation is not entitled to any say whatsoever and should just provide the means for people to follow whichever of those two courses of action they personally decide to follow. I would hate to see the NHS trying to put pressure on people to go the assisted suicide route - if that person has decided to go the palliative care route.

Obviously there is the danger on a more personal level of greedy relatives putting pressure on a vulnerable old (or not so old) person to "go" - so that they could inherit whatever there is to be inherited. Most people probably have a greedy relative or two unfortunately (I certainly have). This IS a danger that needs recognising on the one hand - but, on the other hand, I think there is far greater danger with the way that things stand at present of someone being unwillingly trapped in a severely ill body and not able to do anything about it.

I personally will have no hesitation whatsoever in ending things myself should I ever get a severe incurable illness - but I am scared that I may not have the medical knowledge necessary to ensure that the death was quick and painless - so would very much appreciate having expert help to hand should I ever need it. Obviously too - I fear maybe being thrown into a situation where I had made the decision to commit suicide to be free from a suffering body - and was not physically able to even try to do so myself and had no option BUT to call on the "good offices" of a doctor to help me - but the doctor refused (because he was scared of being prosecuted for doing so).

...and, yes, I am having to watch people I know go through a level of illness that I would not tolerate myself...and feel very frustrated at being put in a position where I feel scared to help them if they ask me to - but I know that I would, in conscience, have no option BUT to help them if they do ask and then just hope to goodness I wouldnt get in trouble with the Law for having had to do so.

teddyco

Aurora Borealis,

I agree with your post.
I think this indicates how desperate the NHS has become when we cannot afford care for the terminally ill other than giving them the option to kill themselves while saving a few Pounds from the tax burden......how sad.

Errata

teddyco wrote: »

Aurora Borealis,

I agree with your post.
I think this indicates how desperate the NHS has become when we cannot afford care for the terminally ill other than giving them the option to kill themselves while saving a few Pounds from the tax burden......how sad.

I also agree with AB, but I think you are making a bit of a sweeping statement. Many people do receive good palliative care, but their relatives rarely post on intenet forums to tell the tale.
I'm old enough to have had a number of elderly relatives die of cancer in their own homes peacefully and pain free.
Those who think assisted suicide is a good idea need to think about who will do the assisting if family and friends refuse to.