The legalization of physician assisted suicide is a very polarizing topic with many advocates for each opposing position. Despite the position that physician assisted suicide should be illegal there are still many valid arguments for its legalization. One of the more popular arguments in favor physician assisted suicide is that it ends the suffering of patients who are experiencing intolerable pain. Most jurisdictions in which, have legalized physician assisted suicide to terminally ill patients, have done so on the belief that it presents a more “merciful death”. As physician assisted suicide does bring a more painless alternative most patients do not request the practice for the purposes of pain. A study from the Oregon Health Authority …show more content…
Unlike Oregon, in most legal jurisdictions of physician assisted suicide, patients must have had been diagnosed terminally ill and given a certain time of life to be eligible for the usage of the practice. Most jurisdictions set these requirements so the practice isn’t used wrongfully and only patients experiencing crucial pain would be eligible. Although how patients who are not declared terminally ill can experience more pain anguish then those whom are declared terminally ill. A 2016 study by Emily Lund found that, “people view suicide as more acceptable for those with terminal cancer or nonterminal chronic pain”. This finding proves that even patients who are not terminally ill can experience the same equivalency of pain. Non terminally patients who endure the pain are not given the option of even requesting the practice, yet are still capable of fighting through the pain and maintaining one's dignity. Showing that even patients in terminally ill situations can over come the pain and not find the need to request physician assisted suicide. If the patient was experiencing some sort of mental anguish, the possibility of asking for physician assisted suicide would be more probable compared to requesting for death on the basis of