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Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

1288 Words6 Pages

In recent years California’s legislation has been debating over whether to have an assisted suicide bill (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). Oregon passed a bill back in 1997 allowing the assisted suicide (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). Now some lawmakers are urging others to agree and pass the act, sending the bill to the governor of California (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). California’s lawmakers have seen at least 4 bills come through their legislation like this one since 1995, about the same time Oregon was discussing theirs (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). For many people with terminally illness this gives them the right or freedom to “die with dignity” within their own home (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). …show more content…

The bill will allow terminal ill patients to quicken their death and give them the freedom to choose when it happens (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). California’s bill has been modeled after that of Oregon but with more precautions in place (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). If the bill is passed into law patients could obtain lethal dosage of pain killers causing death (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). Precautions put in place for the bill would make the patient requests twice orally for the assisted suicide (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). The requested must be two weeks apart, one of which has to be in writing (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). Once the requests are made two doctors then must sign off stating the patient will die in 6 months or less (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). Witness are to oversee the patients written request and certify that he or she is of good mind (The Editorial Board, 2015, September). The patient must then receive counseling about hospice and palliative care (Thompson, 2015). A statement must be signed within 48 hours of self-inflicted death that they are still sound of mind (Thompson, 2015). They are reminded before the doctor writes the prescription that they do not have to fill the prescription nor take it the choice is solely theirs (Thompson,

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The article, “After struggling, Jerry Brown Makes Assisted Suicide Legal in California” by Patrick McGreevy discusses the controversial topic of assisted suicide. This new law in California should be overturned. The author states, “As someone of wealth and access to the world’s best medical care and doctors, the governor 's background is very different than that of millions of Californians living in healthcare poverty without that same access — these are the people and families potentially hurt by giving doctors the power to prescribe lethal overdoses to patients.” This is important because people who have terminal illnesses that can’t afford their medical treatment can be pressured into taking lethal overdoses. The author continues, “They also

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Public opinion polls showed increased support for physician assisted suicide. This was due in part to technological advances in medicine as well as a greater recognition of patient’s rights.” Twenty-nine-year-old Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, took her own life in November 2014 following a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. “A Pew poll conducted after Ms. Maynard’s death, revealed that people viewed this as a heroic act. Also, revealed, the majority of Americans, most likely including physicians, now favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide for painful and incurable conditions: 68 percent in favor, 28 percent opposed.

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Monday October 5th the governor of California, Jerry Brown, signed the “Right to Die” bill. This bill would allow doctors in California to prescribe lethal amounts of medications to end a terminally ill patient’s life. Brown signed this controversial bill after explaining that he did this based on his personal decision “of want he would want if ever faced with his own death.” Governor Brown wrote in his letter to addressing state law makers that he “is certain that he would find comfort in being able to consider the options afford by this bill”(Botelho). But the Californians Against Assisted Suicide (CAAS) called this bill flawed saying that lawmakers should first consider how this bill could affect the disadvantaged people of America.

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1451 Words | 6 Pages

The patient is instructed to make two oral requests to his or her physician. Both requests for assisted suicide have to be separated by at least 15 days. The patient is also required to have a written request, signed by 2 or more witnesses, to his or her physician. The prescribed physician must confirm diagnosis and prognosis and be beyond a doubt that the patient is mentally capable to request this medical alternative (“Death with Dignity

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These conditions include the patient having to get “two doctors to agree, before prescribing the drugs, that a patient has six months or less to live” (NPR). This law also requires that the patient requests a prescription “...for an aid-in-dying drug without influence from others. ”(CCCC). For these reasons, the fear that people who opt for physician assisted suicide are unable to truly choose death for themselves is misplaced. People who qualify for death with dignity should not have to fear a doctor turning them down when what they are requesting is

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Drum affirms, “I will ask my doctor for a prescription sedative that will kill me on my own terms¬—when I want and where I want” (60). Therefore, the passing of the “physician-assisted suicide” (Drum 28) bill will provide countless others the choice of ending their suffering surrounded by those who love them while enjoying as much as possible all the time they have

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Some safeguards around the world include the patient being a mentally healthy adult, two physicians must agree on the diagnosis and must inform the patient of all options and if the patient still agrees to the assisted suicide then a mandatory waiting period ensues (Pope). After the waiting period the patient makes three requests, two oral and one written, and they can rescind the request at any time but if they proceed the patient must administer the lethal medication themselves. These safeguards are precautions to ensure that assisted suicide is done as safely and legally as possible (“Euthanasia and Assisted

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By keeping a patient who is in a vegetative state alive, thousands of dollars in medical bills are piling up that will become stressful for the patient’s family to pay off (Coster 16). The medicine required for euthanasia on average cost less than fifty dollars, whereas medical care can cost over a thousand times more (Coster 21). If a patient has written their request for euthanasia in their living will, then they should be granted their wishes and rights. In contrast, opponents of euthanasia argue that doctors should not practice euthanasia, even if the patient has requested it through their living will. Opponents claim that a healthy person cannot fathom how they would feel on their deathbed

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However, there is hope of a peaceful death for these patients that exists in a controversial law being considered by many states throughout the country. It is known as the Death with Dignity Act. This law gives terminally ill patients the option of ending their own life in a painless manner at a time and place of their choosing by

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On February 21st, 2055 a new law came into place in the state of California, anyone who is critically ill and wishes to live no longer, may receive assisted suicide. The state glowed for those that wanted to end their life as they were in agony, family members and loved ones will see the terminally ill bliss in peace no longer in pain. It was a change that had both sides arguing, why take your life away, that’s being selfish while others argued it takes the misery away, why stay alive when you are deteriorating slowly and painfully. Sirens racing down to the central hospital in Los Angeles.

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However, several safeguards have been implemented for the states that have euthanasia laws. For example, each patient must be of at least 18 years old, have several doctors confirm the patient’s terminal status, and those same doctors must also confirm the patient’s sound and stable mind in the event that the patient has a mental illness such as depression. In those cases, the patient will be referred to a psychiatrist, and not be given the supplements he/she requested. Furthermore, the patient must be physically capable enough to swallow the supplement. After several waiting periods and procedures later, the patient will have the supplement handed to them.

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668 Words | 3 Pages

If this turns into law, as a county, we are stating suicide is the answer to suffering. In the minds of the younger generation they are shown when suffering comes, suicide is the response. This bill it contradicts suicide prevention. With the offer of suicide to a patient, doctors are indirectly telling the patient that their life is useless to continue. Instead of providing the patient with hope and words of comfort, we offer death.

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1321 Words | 6 Pages

The Right to Die has been taking effect in many states and is rapidly spreading around the world. Patients who have life threatening conditions usually choose to die quickly with the help of their physicians. Many people question this right because of its inhumane authority. Euthanasia or assisted suicide are done by physicians to end the lives of their patients only in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana, New Mexico and soon California that have the Right to Die so that patients don’t have to live with depression, cancer and immobility would rather die quick in peace.

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A clear relation has been found between the opinion of physicians, and their actions taken regarding euthanasia requests, which can suggest strong opinions among physicians(1). This can mean that only some patients are going to have their requests fulfilled, which might be thought by the rest of the patients as unfair (1). In addition, Patients are legally justified to ask physicians to perform euthanasia, on the other hand, physicians are not allowed to fulfill this request, which can force patients to seek treatment from physicians who are willing to comply with such demands(1). Furthermore, Doses of pain medications are closely monitored to prevent the act of euthanasia, which may lead to symptoms being poorly treated (8). Overall, all of these factors may lead to poorer doctor-patient relationship, not only can this compromise the quality of the healthcare system, but it can also cause patients to feel lost, and think that their only savior would be to suicide on their own (7) (5).

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Locally, The only three states in United States that legalized euthanasia are Oregon, Washington and Montana states. In 1994, Oregon voters approved the Death with Dignity act (DWDA) by voting of 51%. Since that year physicians are capable to prescribe life-end medication for terminally ill people. According to Life issues Institute the DWDA records show that 455 people have requested lethal drugs from their physician and 292 people have died from using them. The yearly numbers continue to rise, beginning with 16 deaths in 1997, increasing to 38 in 2005, and reaching 46 deaths in 2006 (Enouen). On the other hand, Others State criminalized this action, and the states’ rules consider the people who helped terminally ill people to suicide as criminals, it also for those who help people to commit suicide even if they are their doctors.

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