We've been talking about this in my Criminal Justice class. Society seems to have a bigger issue with P.A.S. (Physician Assisted Suicide) [except for Oregon] and Euthanasia. I think I'm somewhere in the middle of this situation. Like previously stated, I don't think anyone should be aloud to just take their life just because, but then again who are we to say no you're wrong? But, the positive side that I can see in this is that for the elderly, or the sick that have extreme pains or problems (not just mental, physical too).
General Outline of Oregon P.A.S. law:
-Must be fully conscious at the time.
-Must be able to administer the overdose themself.
-Must have two witnesses present. (Usually family members).
-Must have two doctors approval that the person will live for less than 6 months.
-Must wait 15 days to get the prescription from the day requested.
I was also reading an article about the debate of P.A.S. in Oregon and they did a study and in about 5 years only 630 people requested the drugs, and only 3% of those people actually took the drugs. I personally think if the people actually qualify for this option, should be clearly given the option to go through with it. Most people simply use it as a comfort tool, knowing that if the pain and suffering gets to be too intense that they can end their life on their own terms, with their friends and family and go out with their dignity.
I sit here and say, I'd be a supported of suicide (like in the Oregon law) not needlessly taking of your own life for an unjust cause, but I'd never go and tell someone to kill themselves no matter what. I would try and help the person work through their issue, or comfort them. But to sum it all up, suicide is a tricky issue, where you have to play who "qualifies to die" (as bad as that sounds).
Why is Suicide illegal?
