Suicide book and Dr Death

[Scotty]

Recently I stumbled across a book called Final Exit, it's written by a proponent for Euthanasia in the terminally ill. The book details how to kill ones self in a painless and guaranteed way along with other methods ranging from bizarre to common and the problems one may encounter.

The author himself helped his fragile and terminally ill wife die some time ago before having any real knowledge on the subject through 'assisted suicide' (he got the medicine required though she administered it).

In the UK there was a recent case brought before the courts of a woman again terminally ill who wanted to go to Digitas in Switzerland to end it all before she was to incapacitated to have any quality of life. The concern was that her husband may be brought up on charges for assisting her merely by helping her get there and being with her. She won the case.

For those who don't know it's the same drug used in executions in China, possibly the US (not sure) and to put your cat or dog to sleep. About 5 mins after ingestion the person goes to sleep then dies peacefully.

What are peoples thoughts on the right to die movement? Pro lifers seem to believe that with modern medicine we can make a person comfortable in their last few weeks, that pain can be managed which simply is not true. In both physical and mental illness there are a lot of people who are treatment refractory, allergic to the likes of opoids and will indeed suffer no matter what medicine is administered.

People end their lives regardless every year through suicide, painful and often failed which in turn will possibly give them more problems (ie liver failure). Is it not more humane to give certain sections of the medically ill who can not be treated a peaceful and guaranteed way out?

I believe it is inhumane to allow people who will inevitably die in extreme chronic and unmanageable pain the option to go out with dignity and peacefully.

Thoughts on this?

[MSFixR]

The state does not like to loose productive (read tax paying) citizens. Likewise most religions frown on suicide. However modern medicine can keep the body alive almost indefinitely; the resulting quality of life is another matter. I believe each individual should be able to decide for themselves however any assistance in the termination of a life can be judged to be murder or manslaughter. Often people wait too long to decide to end it all and need assistance. Most life insurers will not pay off if suicide is the cause of death. So, the bottom line, do it before you need assistance and make it look like an accident.

[Scotty]

I came across a story of a guy who had changed his policy only a few months before being diagnosed with an incurable illness, he decided on self termination shortly after losing his life insurance. Had he kept his old one they would have paid. Some kind of clause in certain policies which allow a payment to be made only after 2 years from when the policy started.

As far as I know Holland is the only country which allows someone else to administer a lethal dose though that's maybe only the case when the overdose administered by the patient fails. The laws which are used to charge a person with murder are ridiculous, they allow a person to be terminated and when someone helps with this legal activity they get a life sentence.

edit in - A quick point about the state not wanting to lose productive members of society due to loss of taxes. People looking for this way out are likely to be more of a burden on the health care system at the point they want to end it all they will no longer have to worry about pensions or social security. Price of a lethal dose of pentobarbital is about $100.