Physician assisted suicide is the act of a physician prescribing a drug to a patient in which the patient is able to take on their own without the assistance of a medical professional. The drug given to the patient results in unconsciousness within five minutes and death within the next thirty minutes. Euthanasia is the act of putting someone to death that is suffering from an incurable condition. There are two types of euthanasia. Voluntary active euthanasia, is when a medical professional administers a lethal dose of a drug to the patient upon their request, and involuntary euthanasia is when a medical professional administers a lethal dose of a drug to a patient without their consent. (Nordqvist) Should euthanasia or physician assisted suicide be legal? This has been a debate and controversy for over a decade, about whether or not a dying patient has the right to die with the assistance of a doctor. I personally believe that it should be legal. An individual should have the right to determine the timing and mannerism of their death. Why keep someone alive that is suffering? Is it just for the sole purpose of preserving life? If the person is truly terminally ill and is suffering they should have a choice to end their suffering, especially if they see no hope for the future. …show more content…
It was found that roughly 3,600 cases of physician assisted suicide and euthanasia reported in a given year, that 1,000 instances were involuntary euthanasia. (Emanuel) People that are against it see the only way to stop it from leading to the legalization of involuntary euthanasia is to prevent physician assisted suicide from being legalized. Many believe there are other steps that can be taken before choosing death. There are therapy options, drugs, and possibly a change in