I worked in a state animal shelter where they put down stray dogs all day. I had no clue they did that until my first day of work. I am still traumatized by it. They automatically put down pit bulls it's sickens me to talk about it.

I feel that people have a right to control what happens to their lives. If they want to die, etc., than so be it. Why are some people so critical of the decisions of others? I say, worry about yourself.

The thought of humans makes me even more sick..but I don't feel like getting into that today! :)

I was talking about human euthanasia but I'm guessing your sticking with what you picked anyway.

Well the difference between animal euthanasia and human euthanasia is that the humans would be consenting. &I'm all for people having choices.

It gets very confusing though because where do you draw the line? If someone has cancer is doped up to the eyeballs on painkillers and can't make a decision can a relative do so?

True that does get confusing. I personally don't think even a relative has the right to make that decision for another person. Maybe they could sign a form saying when they get sick to a certain extent they want to be euthanized. Kind of like a DNR.

God should be the one to decide when it's time for someone time of death. If someone help you to die it would be murder.

Mimi, you're bringing religion into it which would be fine but we're talking about laws here..and church and state should be kept seperate. However, from a legal standpoint, it can be called murder. So it's a confusing topic.

I think if it is throughly screened (psychologists & doctors) and if it is the persons decision then it should be. At the end of the day if someone wants to die you can't really stop them. Though if a doctor takes and oath to (care and protect?) I think doctors should obviously also have a choice if they want to assist.

we don't have the right to decide for somebody's life

I am also referring to people, animals can't stick up for themselves! I also think people should sign something consenting family to make the decision for them just in case they aren't able to. I completely agree with itsjennyson's point of view.

Eisai I think this is referring to consensual euthanasia, not where the decision is being made for somebody. We certainly don't have that right.

Well the pick was too general so people are taking this topic to a much broader spectrum.

Kathrina I was talking about Meg (animal thing) I guessed you were talking about humans.

The pick is general but if you agree with it in one sense but not another click yes and explain your answer. If you don't agree at all obviously click no. Euthanasia is an extremely complicated subject because you can think up all sorts of scenarios so the list would have to be 1000's of picks long to satisfy everyone. But if we debate it down here then everyone gets their opinions in anyway.

I know but that's why I haven't voted because I am for it when it comes to humans but against it when it comes to animals, so I can't really vote here.

I see your point :]

I am a strong supporter of the link in Oregon, I think they do things well over there.

This is funny, because I debated this on my debate team two years ago Lincoln-Douglas style. I had to prepare for both sides because I didn't know which one I'd end up arguing for.

itsjennyson: The Death with Dignity Act allows a person to specify a friend or relative in a contract who knows their wishes if they were ever in a situation in which they could not speak for themselves. They encourage discussing things like this with spouses, etc.

well i think that if your mental and want to commit suicide, it's wrong. But if your in so much paint you can't stand it that it's okay. Sometimes you have to put down animals because they're in pain or they're living bad lives but other than that i think euthanasia is bad for animals

Years of unbearable pain versus peaceful quick death. Which would you choose? Pretty obvious really.

Okay, I get the whole God thing, and if you think that's what God wants, fair enough. But not everyone believes that and people should be allowed to make their own decisions or the ones they know their partner or whoever would want to make.

About the God argument:

Instead of thinking of Euthanasia as something unnatural, think of it as God's tool. I mean, if a person is on life-support having a machine breathe for them, they're being artificially kept alive in the first place. But when they are taken off of life support (generally by a relative entrusted with this choice by the patient-- see Death with Dignity article I posted), then they die-- naturally.

It's man-made machines and modern medicine keeping people alive. Not necessarily God.

This issue hits very close to home so I will only debate it in animals because I will only get angry and upset otherwise. :)

You should be more specific in what you are talking about b/c that last pick wasn't there when you first made the question.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to die a slow and painful death from a terminal illness.

meg... if it doesn't upset you TOO much to go into it... I'd like to hear your thoughts on human euthanasia. Please. I'm curious why you're so affected by the issue. If you don't want to discuss it, that's fine too.

Its a sort of grey area...I'm a bit on the line for this one.

I am a strong believer that people should be allowed to choose to be euthanised if it will ease their suffering.

I however do not think that the choice should ever be down to anyone but the person dying, no one else.

I cannot believe that it is ok for people to kill themselves... usually they are not in a healthy mental state.
And there is always a chance for recovery from an illness.

Also, doctors have to take a Hippocratic Oath... you know, "Do No Harm"?
If you have cancer and don't want to go through years of treatment, don't. Refuse treatment and go on pain medications and try to make your last few months very happy ones.

If you're brain dead, there is never a strong chance of recovery. The best you could hope for is MAYBE a 15% recovery rate. Like I said, if the only thing keeping you alive is a machine, that's not exactly natural.

Kate: I understand what you're saying about the Hippocratic Oath but you'll have to define to be what "doing no harm" entails. If you don't go through years of treatment, it's still immeasurably painful. And unless you want to spend your last months addicted to morphine, no pain drug is that effective. And being addicted to morphine is not fun.

I think people put too much stock in life. People think that life is always better than the alternative, well that's not necessarily true. What is living if you're not... living? I am not really afraid of death. I used to be, and I may be again if I am diagnosed with a fatal illness, but I'll eventually get over that too and accept it. If somebody is ready to receive death, albeit a little earlier than it would otherwise come, I think they should be entitled to do so.

Check out the link

From the Wikipedia page: Under the law, a capable adult Oregon resident who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness by a physician may request in writing, from his or her physician, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication for the purpose of ending the patient's life. The request must be confirmed by two witnesses, one of whom cannot be related to the patient, be entitled to any portion of the patient's estate, be the patient's physician, or be employed by a health care facility caring for the patient. After the request is made, another physician must examine the patient's medical records and confirm the diagnosis. The patient must be determined to not suffer from a mental condition impairing judgment. If the request is authorized, the patient must wait at least fifteen days and make a second oral request before the prescription may be written. The patient has a right to rescind the request at any time.

The law protects doctors from liability for providing a lethal prescription for a terminally ill, competent adult in compliance with the statute restrictions. Participation by physicians is voluntary. The law also specifies a patient's decision to end his or her life shall not "have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy."


This law prevents people suffering from a mental illness from making the decision, and yet follows the patient's wishes. If I was diagnosed with a fatal illness that would be painful and humiliating to endure until it killed me, I would definitely move to Oregon. This law protects the PATIENTS will, not those of the patient's benefactors (as stated by the fact that there has to be two witnesses).

And just because they want does not mean they're mentally ill. There are five stages of grief, and the last is acceptance. If you come to that stage, you may not want to endure the torture of the rest of your life. If I was on a machine and brain dead, I would want someone to fulfill my living will and take me off the machine. It would be my time, and the only thing keeping me here is a man-made device.

Exactly what I was saying... if you do not want to be kept alive by technology, then don't. Don't go on treatment, tell your parents/friends/significant other to take you off life support if you are ever brain-dead.
I think that it is not killing yourself if you choose not to use modern technology... I think it is just letting the disease run its course. Of course this is just my opinion.

And I thought that if you were brain dead, that there was NO chance of recovery? If I am wrong, what am I thinking of?

its your body, it should be your choice....its not like these people are being irrational...its legal in Oregon (my roommates parents are doctors in oregon) and people who want assisted suicide HAVE TO go through countless hours of psychological testing and other tests to ensure the person is rational, reasonable, and basically not suicidal other than what is being caused by their medical condition. its not like some one can walk in and say "kill me". theres a huge process....

okay sorry I said my other comment wrong

if your in desperate pain maybe it would be fair. If you are terminally ill. An animal getting sick and there's no help. I gues if you use it in the right ways and at the right time then it's fair. But if you can get better from your sickness, there's no point is there?

nonames is right, I think Oregon has it down!

Death with Dignity! If I'm dying, I'm driving the three hours to Portland.

I think if you really want to die and you discuss it with someone and they determine that your not in a depressed state of mind, that you've thought it through- it is your right to be allowed to die. It is your life after all why should someone else get to tell you that even although your in pain and your going to die anyway....(other things included) you can't kill yourself because they don't think you should.

I am strongly for personal rights-the right to choose.

Just like with abortion, I'm for an informed choice.

It's your life, and you have to decide. If you're capable of making a well-thought-out decision, I think it's up to the person to decide whether they want to die (with dignity, indeed) or not.
It's inhuman to keep someone who's braindead or someone who's dying slowly and painfully alive against his or her own will.

The progressive laws are something I really love about my country.

Euthanasia, whether we like it or not, is still murder. There is no escaping that fact. Who can really accept responsibility for who is going to live or die? It's only a small step from killing those who are brain dead, to killing those in a coma or have debilitating illnesses, and then to killing those who have mental illnesses. It's an easy transition to make, as the scientists in 1930-1940's Germany found.

It's not so much murder as it is assisted suicide. But it's assisted suicide of an individual who is fully in his right mind (psych evaluations galore are given). I think you're mistaken, fire_and_ice-- the DOCTORS don't decide who lives and who dies, the PATIENT decides, or whoever the patient has named in their living will decides for them. It's not like doctors are running around killing patients because they don't know how to treat them.

It's already legal in my country!
And i like it that way.

Would you want people to suffer for months (using medication and treatment that could otherwise be used for other people) when they don't want to, and they're going to die eventually!

It's THEIR body, THEIR choice!

And assisted suicide would be a much better way to die than suicide, because it could end up quite messy.. and think about the way it would traumatize the family? or the people who find the person? the workers who have to remove the remains from the rails when somebody has jumped in front a train?

I support the idea of euthanasia, even though I hope I'll never have to use it myself. I like the idea that a terminally ill person can arrange how and when they die, surrounded by the people they love, having sorted out all their affairs and unfinished business. Sounds like an ideal way to go.
It would have to be VERY well regulated though, due to the numerous issues mentioned above. Well done to Oregon.

After reading debates, hearing speeches, and reading about it, I support it. I found out my grandmother was euthanized. She was hospitalized for a pulmonary disorder and had a bad night, so my aunts decided to pull the plug. I'm glad they did. I didn't want her to suffer.

It's already legal in my country. I agree with Jerona.

Animals: Not to long ago our Humane society had to put about 80 dogs and cats that weren't getting adopted under euthanasia. The reason there are too many strays coming into the shelter. Now there is a a law in my county that says if you aren't breeding the animals, fix em or pay a hefty fine.

People: My mother's best friend had breast cancer, and it got really bad. The cancer had spread to her kidneys, her husband knew there was no hope and that she'd be on dialysis for the rest of her life. She had a living will stipulating she didn't want that.

My father went into the hospital on christmas day of 2003 with COPD caused by emphysema due to smoking. He didn't want to live on a machine for the rest of his life (He too had a living will stating what he had wanted.) they injected him with something to make it easier.

So in saying if the patient has stipulated what he or she wants, then so be it. We should support the patient 100%

I think it's fine as long as the patient and the family consents.

I'am a nurse and I have seen some real suffering in my time, the sooner folks can choose the better.

It is just that. A Choice. a choice that no one but the person who makes it can make. You can say you are against it but when you have incurable cancer spreading across your body leaving you in tremendous pain 24 hours a day seven days a week even on the strongest pain medication you can handle... then what?

I feel like if I was in a situation where maybe I became a "vegetable" and couldn't do things for myself or lead any kind of a normal life then I would appreciate being put out of my misery, I don't believe its proper to let people suffer.

I'm not going to write a long thing here, I'm just going to say it simply. No one has the right to take a life, it doesn't matter if the person is agreeable or not. It makes me sick that so many people think murder is acceptable.

I like the picture ^_^

quote:
'No one has the right to take a life'

Why not? Why shouldn't I have the right to take my own life if I feel like it's not worth living anymore? I wouldn't want to live on a machine, incapable of doing anything. I find it a comforting thought that if I ever were in such a situation, they can end it, nice and clean.
I think it is important that people around you know how you feel about it. I made it clear to everyone around me that I wouldn't want to live on a machine: no one else will have to make the decision for me, I already made it in case it is necessary.
It’s MY life, MY body, MY death. Who else but ME has the right to decide about it?

i think that provided that it's done properly with mental health checks etc. then there's no problem with it. i believe that it is perfectly reasonable for a terminally ill person to be in sound enough mind to ask to be allowed to die quickly, painlessly and with dignity and i think that in those types of circumstances we should be able to help.
i think it's all very well people believing that it's wrong and i believe that they are entitled to their opinion but i don't think it's right for them to force their views on other people who are o.k. with the idea of taking life to ease suffering.
my gran was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, she died 3 years later and throughout that time was in constant pain with no hope of recovery. she was a very intelligent woman and made it clear that she'd rather die painlessly whilst she still had some control over her body and mind than after being completely ravaged by the cancer. we spent 3 years trying to get her to the netherlands or switzerland where she'd be able to go through with assisted suicide but by the time we got close she was deemed to ill to travel. she didn't deserve to die in the way she did, but she was given no choice. her life should have been in her own hands.

I think that euthanasia should be legalised because the patient has a right to decide on their life. It's not fair to make them suffer, and make them die a long, excruciating death when they could die with dignity, without so much pain.
I can see why suicide itself is illegal because if it doesn't quite work out for that person, in that they end up critically ill instead, a lot of money has to go towards looking after that person when there are other people who are in critical condition, but not suicidal, and so I think mental health checks are needed to make sure it's not due to a completely different underlying problem that needs to be dealt with but something that cannot actually be controlled which is a way to end suffering.
As for family members deciding, I'd say it depends on the state of that person; if they really love them they wouldn't want them to suffer, however if the person can come out from the situation in a better state, but the family think that there is no chance, that would be wrong. It's always safer for the person to designate a family member or two to decide for them in case said person can't decide, but sometimes there isn't even a chance.
One personal example is that of my grandma:
She was critically ill, in ICU, with kidney problems and other internal organ failure (I don't know what precisely as I was 11 at the time and my family didn't want to tell me; I've never asked because I didn't want to know about how much pain she was in). She had been in a coma for 3 days, then she woke up for a few hours, although I personally didn't get a chance to see her, I heard that she was focused on everyone else's wellbeing, she didn't even once think about the possibility of dying; then she slipped back into a coma. A few days later, she still hadn't woken up, and the doctors presented us with the news that if she lived, she would have brain damage and wouldn't be the same person, what with impaired speech etc. so the family had to make a decision as to whether they should pull the plug (she was on life support) or not. They decided on pulling the plug, not my grandma.
That's euthanasia. That's dying with dignity.

My state, Washington, passed a law last year to legalize euthanasia, which I supported (although I can't vote, as I'm not yet 18). I think terminally ill people ought to be able to end their lives with dignity, by their choice.

If you want to be Euthanised, then no one should be allowed to stop you. I can't think of anything that could be said to refute that.

I think it should be legal WITH CONSENT. Animals cannot giveconsent over being put down. Humans can. (Most of the time. If a person is unable to give consent for it, but is in a lot of pain and is going to die anyway, than they shoul dbe able to be euthanized.)

There are so many what ifs and hows and whys that im not sure/

If the situation was appropriate, and this mainly had to do with the patient's choice and only the patient's choice....

But in my opinion, it should depend on certain circumstances within the medical case.

I wonder how many people who think it's murder are okay with animals being euthanized...

Why would you illegalize euthanasia for animals??? So my dog who died 5 years ago who had cancer and went through agonizing pain by just breathing had to wait until he died? Assholes. Some people don't realize that putting down animals is for their own good.

Though I'm against euthanizing stray dogs.


And about euthanasia on people; It's already legal in my country and I don't know exactly how it's arranged... But I think that if you legalize euthanasia, then you'd have to think of a system where both the patient and another family member should sign that form. And two doctors from seperate hospitals should agree with the form.

I rather say no the giving a whole hearted yes

It should be legal. It is unacceptable that terminally ill people should have to suffer for monthes or years, all for the decisions of selfish people who can't see the major benefits, all because they can't get their head past the idea of murder. Just to reassure you, it is not murder - it is 'easing the suffering. As Sapp said, 'Why not? Why shouldn't I have the right to take my own life if I feel like it's not worth living anymore?' as well as 'It’s MY life, MY body, MY death. Who else but ME has the right to decide about it?' - this is for those that call it murder: what right do you have to tell someone what to do with their own body? It is not YOUR decision, but the decision of the person themself. I am the same, I would not want to live in pain, or as a braindead 'vegetable', just because a few of us don't like the idea. Frankly, I could say some very abusive words to these people - but, I won't... Just know that your ideals could make a lot of people very miserable, all for the sake of opinion.

This SHOULD be legalized and is already practiced a lot. I know lots of soldiers. If you are in combat, your friend got his legs blown off from a grenade or mine, he is suffering and wont make it and is pleading for you to kill him fast, would you? Or would you just let him suffer and die slowly while his screams haunt you for life.

If the animals are in pain and will never get better, then I think that it is okay to put them to sleep. It is better then letting them suffer. But killing them because they do not have a home or because they bark or dig or something like that is wrong and should not be aloud. Maybe people should just stop breeding dogs and cats as long as there are too many of them. And always adopt. Save a life.

It all depends.

Humans

I think it should be legal for a person to choose euthanasia. If the person has a terminal illness and is going to die anyways, I think said person should have the option to just get it over with if he or she so wishes. What's the point in living if you're bound to a bed and in pain? Some people would choose that, but it's not for everyone. Quality of life, not quantity. I don't think it's fair to force someone who only has a few months left to keep living if that person doesn't want to. Why prolong the pain against their will?

If it's a child who has to make the decision, I do think the parents should have a say. However, depending on the age of the child, he or she may be more than capable of making the decision his or herself.

Animals

This is where it gets a bit sketchy, as animals cannot speak for themselves. If the person is putting down a pet just because the person doesn't like the pet or doesn't want it anymore I think they're request for euthanasia should be rejected and the animal should be taken and give to an owner who would care for it properly. However that's a very idealistic notion as they'd probably just put it in a shelter. I'd be weary to deny a person (who wants to get rid of a pet for a stupid reason) the right to use euthanasia on a pet simply because the said person may take to killing the animal on their own after getting denied. And that's just a sick and scary thought. But I'd also be weary to kill an innocent pet for such a silly reason.

On the other hand, euthanasia may be the best option for some pets. And I speak from experience. My dog had a very aggressive cancer it spread from her colon to her lungs. It caused her seizures and painful bowel movements. It got to the point where she couldn't eat...couldn't even get up to go to the bathroom. It was painful to watch. I don't cry easy, but watching her suffer like that did it for me. My family and I waited 3 days for the illness to claim her. But it did not, and we knew she wasn't going to get better. Much like the first paragraph, quality of life, not quantity. We didn't want to prolong her suffering. This dog was my precious baby and it was a hard decision to make. But we bought her into the vet and had it done. He was extremely kind to her and pet her and comforted her as it was being done. My family and I where there too, making sure she knew how much we loved her. Euthanasia on pet is so hard, but sometimes it's necessary, sometimes its harder to watch a beloved pet struggle.

My apologies, if that last paragraph disturbed or bothered someone.


@blackpanther It is unacceptable that terminally ill people should have to suffer for monthes or years, all for the decisions of selfish people who can't see the major benefits

I agree with this so much. Going back to the experience with my dog. My sister was the one who just didn't want to let go of our dog. I was already having a hard time with it and she's going off calling us murders and trying to guilt trip us out of it. I understand that she wanted more time with our dog before letting her go, but our dog just wasn't doing well at all and to keep her around is just kind of selfish.


Man this was painful to type.

You know what I don't get? People claim that allowing a dog to suffer is cruel. When a dog is suffering, what you do? You have it euthanized. Yet, when a human being is really suffering, what do you do? You allow the person to lie there and suffer until he or she dies. There needs to be a way to have people euthanized. People go, "Oh, that's cruel. That's inhumane." Well, you do it to your dog, cat, horse, or whatever. Besides, before my maternal grandfather passed away, he said to me, "There's a lot worse things in life than dying. Suffering is one of them."

^ Totally agree.

^^ For real though. And the person should have a choice if they are suffering they should be able to say "end it". Your last quote says it all.

Well said, Peaceandlove67. Your grandfather was a wise man.