Should euthanasia be legal?

[EdenQueen]

I truly don't understand why many people look at this so differently when compared to animals. Even religious arguments don't really stand in my mind, since if that were the case they would/ should obviously apply to all forms of life. When it comes down to it, no one should be forced to be trapped inside a withering and suffering shell. There would have to be strict medical regulations but this should be something people can opt for in living wills and in cases of untimely and abrupt illness or injury, NOK should also have the right to opt for this. Cases could then be handled on a case-by-case basis by medical doctors and/ civil court.

[Foxglove]

While I absolutely hate that we have to resort to euthanasia, I say yes, it should be legal, considering the way our society is right now.
There are too many people who buy puppies thinking they'll love that puppy forever but then can't take care of it after it grows up and then leaves the pet in the pound/animal center/what-have-you. What this means is that those very pounds simply don't have enough room to house all the animals coming in, while still being able to care for all the animals they already have -- because there aren't enough people adopting -- so the only way to make room for new pets, and ones that have a better chance of getting adopted, is to euthanize the ones that have little to no chance of getting adopted.

It is the saddest reality, but for now it is a measure people take simply because there is no other reasonable choice.

---------- Post added at 07:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 AM ----------

Oh wow, I thought this was in regards to animals.

Well, with humans... hm. There are things similar to euthanasia for humans already -- like the death sentence, and removing someone from life support. In my mind, euthanasia on a conscious human being who did not commit a heinous crime would be OK if the person in question is at least reasonably sane and genuinely wishes it for themselves, and has had ample time to consider the gravity of the situation (so no euthanasia for people suffering a momentary breakdown and ask for it in the heat of the moment).

[Darkspear]

I think it should be legal, for really anyone whenever.

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If someone has a terminal illness and they know they'll die soon why not let them die painlessly instead of letting a disease eat them away. If they are on life support why force them to stay barely "alive" and cost their loved ones a fortune.

It's your life and it's your body you should be able to do want you want as long as you don't harm others. Death is something we will all go through eventually.
I've told my finance that if anything ever happens to me and I'm on life support to please, somehow pull the plug as quickly as possible. I do not want to be condemed to a "life time" of minimal brain activity.

[Misha]

I think it should be legal, for really anyone whenever.

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If someone has a terminal illness and they know they'll die soon why not let them die painlessly instead of letting a disease eat them away. If they are on life support why force them to stay barely "alive" and cost their loved ones a fortune.

It's your life and it's your body you should be able to do want you want as long as you don't harm others. Death is something we will all go through eventually.
I've told my finance that if anything ever happens to me and I'm on life support to please, somehow pull the plug as quickly as possible. I do not want to be condemed to a "life time" of minimal brain activity.

I think if you're on life support, and want to go to be done with the pain and suffering, why not. I don't think anyone, for any reason, should commit suicide. I personally think it's a selfish act, and there's always someone who is willing to help the best they can, there is always people that love you. I am biased on the subject, I found my dad in the basement of the house I grew up in, face blown off from a shotgun blast. He killed himself to get away from a lawsuit. He took out a million dollar life insurance policy on himself thinking he would be helping my family by killing himself. Well, they don't pay out for suicide, and we lost our father.

[Darkspear]

I think if you're on life support, and want to go to be done with the pain and suffering, why not. I don't think anyone, for any reason, should commit suicide. I personally think it's a selfish act, and there's always someone who is willing to help the best they can, there is always people that love you. I am biased on the subject, I found my dad in the basement of the house I grew up in, face blown off from a shotgun blast. He killed himself to get away from a lawsuit. He took out a million dollar life insurance policy on himself thinking he would be helping my family by killing himself. Well, they don't pay out for suicide, and we lost our father.

I'm terribly sorry for your loss and I really feel for you. But that's what I mean when I say that someone will find you. Suicide is horribly selfish and people will help but let's just say that, hypothetical situation here; someone is a shut in. They have no family to speak of. Money they will never spend, and just have....nothing in their life except for a job they hate (think Narrator!Tyler from Fight Club) and they want to just end it, should they be able to?

I'll be blunt I'm pretty pessimistic under a optimistic shell. I tend to think that people will do what they want to do and sometimes people can't be convinced no matter how hard people try. The thing that kept be from committing was a strong fear of my grandma or boyfriend finding me. My (as I saw it then) cowardliness kept me alive long enough to get the help and medication that I needed and now I'm doing pretty okay. So I consider myself to be very blessed. But others don't have a support. And again some people are just hell bent to do something.

I feel like we should stop talk about this, I don't want someone to get upset.

[boomer]

If it's come to the point that there is no chance the person on life support will wake up, then I really don't see why not. In essence, the person is gone already. All you're doing is forcing them to stay alive, superficially, while possibly causing unnecessary pain not only for that person but also for their family.

Because when you really love someone, you'll always hope for a miracle. But at some point you have to acknowledge reality.

(And there should be no price on human life, but let's face it there sort of is, and hospital bills for all that can't be cheap.)

[Cute]

I don't think it should be an option for someone who's depressed because life does get better.
I think only if they're really old or have untreatable diseases or are on life support or have suffered serious injuries and can't move or cope with life in a serious way, and it should be some sort of legal process where they fill out papers and a long session where everyone is aware of it so there's no major surprises to family and whatnot.
Idk though, there would be lots of controversy and if assisted suicide becomes legal, it could take laws in the wrong direction.
There was a man who couldn't move anything below his neck due to a serious injury and wanted a doctor to help him end his life. He hired a lawyer and had a long court case about it, then I think they ended up deciding to let him go to Switzerland for it, because it's legal there, but obviously it was a really difficult decision he had to fight for. In the end, I guess they couldn't let it happen in their own country (I think the UK but idek )

[spike]

-If it's an old person with a disease such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, and if they want to die and get consent from other people as well.

Sickness and old age are pretty much the only thing I'd be okay with. It's not fair to leave people suffering when they'd rather be dead, ESPECIALLY if it's a terminal illness. I would really not be happy with euthanasia for suicidal people, unless they're suicidal from being ill. As someone who's felt that as well as known other people who have felt that, there is almost always something that can be done to fix it.

[Sociopath]

Yes 100% euthanasia - whoever wants it.

I am all for suicide being legal. You know why? It's not my business. It's not societies business. It's not even the person families business. It is the person that wants to commit suicides business. And theirs only. If you in that moment want to end it all well no one should stop you. No one should be dragging anyone off anywhere to seek help if you don't want it.

Someone should be allowed to leave a note and say "leave me alone" to anyone trying to save them before they're actually dead.

The only reason psychiatric care should exist is for people who are a threat to the public AND people who would like voluntary treatment. Suicide is illegal for for the same reason why a lot of things work they do = $$$$. I think my psychiatrist that committed me should pay and fix my credit for forcing treatment on me that I didn't want and according to everyone except her that I didn't even need.

Sincerely,
Someone very ungrateful for their psychiatric hospitalization,
A person that is named after a second degree relative that killed themselves,
A person that watched a first degree relative attempt before their eyes

[IFapAlot]

It should if the person wants it, there is no reason to suffer.