“To save a mans life against his will is the same as killing him”. Euthanasia, known as “good death”, is letting a person who is terminally ill pass away at their own will. After researching in depth about this topic, I support the right to choice. This means I believe terminally ill patients should have the option to end their life if they choose to do so. I know if I were in a state of pain and suffering, and I could no longer endure it, I would willingly choose to end my life peacefully. I believe it is only fair for those who are in pain and unable to live happily anymore to be given the chance to be administered lethal medication. Euthanasia should be legalized in more countries because people should have freedom of choice, be able to end their suffering, and because it is inhumane and unfair to make people endure unbearable pain.
Euthanasia is legal in very few countries around the world because many believe it is a doctor's moral responsibility to keep their patients alive. There have been many cases in which patients wanted to end their life, but were unable to do so due to the legal standings of where they live. This was the case for Tony Nicklinson who suffered from locked in syndrome. Nicklinson had lost all motor function after suffering a stroke and was left in a state of paralysis. As Nick stated he was in a “living nightmare” due to his condition. He wanted to end his life and was tired of fighting. In London euthanasia is illegal, therefore Nicklinson was unable to legally end his suffering, and sadly due to his condition he was unable to administer lethal injections to himself. He took his case to court and ultimately the court ruled they would not help him end his life. Nicklinson was devastated by the ruling and did not understand why he wasn’t able to to end his life if he wanted too. This case is just one of many in which patients in agonizing pain were left to suffer until the end of their life. This is why I support that the patient should be given the freedom to make their own choice.
Sadly, there are many cases in which people's lives cannot be saved by medical treatment, and are left taking medications to extend their life or make it less painful to live through. They live day by day wondering when their time has come. In many instances terminally ill patients go through each day suffering until it is their last. For example, those who are in their final battle against cancer or have a disease such as lou gehrig's and no longer want to live due to their condition should have be allowed to end their suffering. In addition, I believe it is inhumane to force someone to live through agony. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who believed the same, administered lethal injection to his patient Thomas Youk who was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. This patient wanted his life to end, and signed a consent form allowing his doctor to do so. However due to the law against euthanasia, Kevorkian was sentenced to second degree murder because of his actions and spent eight years in prison. I believe it was extremely unfair to punish Kevorkian for following the wishes of a terminally ill patient.
Many may say that euthanasia is equivalent to committing murder, and it is a doctor's responsibility to keep their patients alive. People who are religious believe that choosing to end your own life is the ultimate sin against god, and people must die naturally. In addition, those who oppose euthanasia believe that legalizing it will unjustly target the disabled, and also would create an incentive for insurance companies to terminate lives so they can save money. However, none of these reasons come remotely close to the pain patients must unfairly endure due to the law. At the end of the day, it should be up to what the patient wants.
Pro Euthanasia will always be the side I support regarding the issue of whether people should have the choice to die. The positives will surpass any negative beliefs when weighed and ultimately will lead to the conclusion that it should be up to the patient. In my mind it is your life, your body, and it should be your choice.
works cited:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/forms.shtml
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Involuntary+Euthanasia
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/us/04kevorkian.html
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/assisted-suicide-legalization-california-kevin-drum
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/182951.php
http://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/20/choosing-die-netherlands-euthanasia-debate-306223.html