Assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It is understood as “termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient” and also said to be a “good and painless death.” There has been much controversy surrounding this practice and each country has different laws regarding it. Assisted suicide involves one person providing the means and instructions to help another person commit suicide. Euthanasia can be categorized as voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary (BBC News, 2015). Voluntary euthanasia is legal in several states in the United States, as well as Canadian Provinces and some other countries. Voluntary euthanasia occurs when someone has stated that they wish to die so that they no longer feel pain or suffering (Euthanasia Definitions, 2015). During voluntary euthanasia, the person may refuse medical treatment or ask that their medical treatment be stopped, …show more content…
Non-voluntary euthanasia is sometimes related to involuntary euthanasia where the euthanasia takes place against the will of the person. In these cases, the person is not able to make their own decision about whether or not they want to die, so someone else makes the decision for them. This form of euthanasia often takes place with someone who is in a coma. Sometimes, it occurs when the person is very young or may even be an infant. Often, non-voluntary euthanasia occurs when the person is either senile, mentally retarded or has serious brain damage and are in a persistent vegetative state. This type of euthanasia is also sometimes referred to as a “mercy killing”. Obviously, because in these cases, the person is unable to have any say in the decision, this form of assisted suicide is illegal everywhere and is considered