What is Euthanasia?
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Euthanasia is the process of painlessly helping a terminally ill person to die. Known also as assisted suicide or mercy killing, euthanasia is illegal for humans in the United States. Generally, euthanasia is performed by lethal injection, using the same drugs as those on death row are executed.
Hyppocrates, the father of modern medicine, stated in 400 B.C., "I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel". Today, doctors are still bound by this oath. The first law, or statute, enacted in America was entered in the books in New York in 1828.
Like abortion, the debate about assisted suicide is a heated one. Many argue that quality of life is an issue, while those on the other side believe life must be preserved at all costs. The arguments from both sides are of both moral and legal ramifications. Proponents of assisted suicide believe that the church and state have no right to interfere with a person's right to die. Opponents voice the opposite opinion; that no one but God has the authority to determine when a person is to die.
The Hemlock Society is very vocal in their belief that euthanasia should be allowed, especially if the patient has conveyed those wishes. Very few stand on the middle of the road on this issue. Most religions and medical professionals are opposed to euthanasia.
The topic was brought to the forefront of public opinion with the trial of Doctor Jack Kevorkian in the late 1990s. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in prison for the murder of Thomas Youk after giving him a lethal injection.
Several foreign countries including the Netherlands and Belgium allow euthanasia to be performed on patients if certain conditions, such as chronic pain associated with an incurable illness, are met.
Animals, especially dogs and cats, are routinely and humanely put to death in many animal shelters when homes for them cannot be found. It is also a common practice for owners of elderly pets to have their beloved animal put down when their pain makes the dog or cat's life unbearable. Farmers have always practiced putting any animal out of their misery, when they know the animal cannot be healed.
Euthanasia is a volatile issue for many, especially as the baby boomer generation ages. Living wills can be drafted for those who do not wish to be kept alive by extraordinary means in the event of terminal illness or brain death. A living will is a simple document that can be drawn up by you or with the help of an attorney.
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New: Discuss this ArticlePosted by: anon15080
nah if someone is in pain and is going to die anyway then they should have the right to die. People shouldn't be forced to live.
Posted by: anon13607
Euthanasia is the practice of painlessly killing a person so as to end the pain and suffering of a disease or other malady. This process sounds compassionate, but I believe it is a very dumb idea. The doctors who have worked their way to save the lives of people would be forced to destroy their purpose by injecting death into their patients.
I just hate the idea of killing people when that should come when God wills it, but I also think that if we were to allow euthanasia there would be less motivation to finding cures. We should not accept the easy way out. Death can be prevented but life should not be. Posted by: anon13416
the person who said that people commit euthanasia because they cant control there bowels or badder needs to be realistic. People shouldnt have the right to commit murder or suicide because their bowels are out of control research the topic before you post a comment please.
Posted by: anon12946
Does anyone want another person's death on there hands? God has created us and he has made the rules. You can not control your life or the people around you. Yes I am a Christian and I don't live the way I am supposed to, but Euthanasia is murder. Their are a lot of people with greedy motives in this world and life is not easy. Taking the easy way out is not always a good one. Don't try and play God, he is a jealous God.
Posted by: anon12793
Euthanasia is not decided by doctors or anyone else. It is a decision made by the patient...the dying patient. Imagine lying in a hospital bed is so much pain it's unbearable, imagine not being able to control your bowels or bladder? Can you really sit there and say that you wouldn't mind living this way? Would you want your children seeing you this way? Not me...Im all for euthanasia! It's my life I want to decide!!!
Posted by: anon11982
IM not trying to sound rude or anything... but the fact of the matter is this only happens to people who want it to happen. The only people disagreeing are people who probably haven't even seen what horrible pain people go through in some sicknesses my aunt had cancer and wasn't very old and wasn't very far along in all of the treatments and she was in so much pain she finally out right told the doctor to kill her but seeing as it was not allowed in the U.S. she died a very slow, painful death and I watched for months. so I don't think it's the doctors choice or gods choice or the governments choice to say that its wrong. its ours the patients choice and if your very religious and want to painfully die then fine but you cant say thats wrong for some one else and their life. its our life and whether you live it according to the bible and 10 commandments or if you live to your own standards then thats how you will live it. I don't think if god saw you die a slow painful death that he would be happy i think you are just scared that if you give the order to let them kill you that god wont love you well your probably very wrong. thats all.
Posted by: anon11663
Hello,
I was just typing to say that I feel that euthanasia is very wrong. How could anyone feel that they have a say when someone should die. God never said there would be no pain on earth, he never said dying would be peaceful, he never said we would be able to choose. he even says in Genesis, that we shall live a life of toil and pain! My mom was taken from this world suddenly, and I am glad she did not suffer, but I know for a fact, that if we knew she were dying, we would never have allowed that to be done to her! That is murder! Posted by: anon10832
euthanasia was practiced and advocated in nazi germany. the nazi thinking was that anybody dying should be killed, anybody with a birth defect should be killed, handicapped should be killed, etc. Not to mention people they felt were inferior to them(jews, gypsys, blacks, catholics ) should all also be exterminated. Euthanasia for humans is wrong and impractical, unethical on many levels. Some family members have greedy motives (they want the money and they want it now). or, they dont want whats left of the money to be spent on further care, treatment etc. the possible scenarios are many and varied. hospice is an alternative to continued treatment of someone terminally ill who cant benefit from medicines or surgery any more, or just doesnt want it any more. hospice is when the person no longer gets any medication except for pain, no breathing assistance, no forced feeding or IV's except for pain. I have seen this in action, it was natural and the best way to go for my brother.
Posted by: anon10592
hi, i dont really know much about euthanasia or assisted death from personal experience but i do feel that a human person has the right to choose whether they live or die and they are in a decent state of sanity then they must be given the opportunity as a human right. anonymous entrant age 14
Posted by: anon10370
euthanasia is illegal in the majority of countries in the world for a reason people who believe in euthanasia believe in the right to say who dies when they die and how. Why do we as humans all of a sudden have that right to kill. It is a form of murder or suicide except it has a different name. I know some people dont want to live in pain but euthanasia is defined as the intentional killing of a person with a terminal illness meaning their illness is going to kill them anyway so why not allow them to die in peace and live the rest of there remaining time with their loved ones.
Euthanasia is illegal and so it should remain that way people are quite ignorant if they think they can play God with other peoples lives.
Posted by: anon9533
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with the young woman doing the project. I don't think you should give an lethal injection to help them die its just down right out cruel. It's different if the patient has it documented somewhere or told the doctors orally what they wanted. To just help end their life is not right. The bible says in Exodus 20 thy shall not kill. They have broken one of the ten commandments. We all must get account for our sins if you don't believe it this read it for yourself. Give the patient prescribed pain medication until it is time for them to leave this world in peace. How would people feel if someone did their love one like that.
Posted by: anon9483
Hi there,
I am a young girl working on a school project for euthanasia. I would just like to say that i think it is right. For someone to get to a point in life where they are in so much pain they no longer want to live no more...To want the suffering and pain to be over, Euthanasia is the right way to go about it. Posted by: anon9377
should that thing be illegal or not?
Posted by: olittlewood
my grandma was very healthy until she was treated for high cholesterol. the medication she was taking turned out to result in a very rare side effect (that they didn't know yet with that medication), so the doctors gave her immunosuppressing medications to treat what they thought she had. so a little cold evolved into pneumonia. when they suggested that she go on a breathing tube, she balked at it. so she got worse and worse. my mom convinced her to try the breathing tube in an effort to help her recover. instead, other family members told the doctor that they didn't want her to go on the tube and they gave her a sedative that put her to sleep and then removed her oxygen line. she did not have a do not resuscitate order in effect, she was just a little scared at getting a breathing tube. i watched her slowly die in front of me, powerless to do anything because we were outvoted by the rest of the family. they did not discuss it with her, although she was conscious. they did not explain to her that she was going to die. i feel very strongly that she was "put to sleep" by the doctors. we were in a hospital in a retirement community where i think older people go to die, and the doctors treated her case as such. was this euthanasia? i don't know. i feel like this was pretty close to it. i'm sure stuff like this goes on everyday across the country, but because it's not blatant euthanasia, people don't say anything or simply don't care. i'm curious as to how specific the law is, or is it so general that it leaves a lot of wiggle room?
Posted by: anon6296
Why would doctors do this if they know Euthanasia is illegal in the United States?????
Posted by: anon6168
Live with dignity die with dignity it's my choice if i wish to live or die. yes i'm a religious christian but look around you the world is overpopulated. all you hypocrites just want people to live and suffer.
Posted by: anon5963
Humans mean so much more than animals!!!!... I don't know what you mean by "humans are no better than animals"? humans were made "in the image of god" so yes!! humans ARE better than animals is so may ways, he made humans A LITTLE less than angels, and yes!! humans ARE inferior!! and i don't think is within our decision to live or die.... in the bible, the psalmist david said that "My times are in thy hand" therefore self-destruction is NOT god's plan for humanity regardless of one's state of health!!
Posted by: anon4510
It is not up to a DOCTOR to choose whether to end a life or not. It is the decision of the patient who is wishing for what is often the case an end to a "life " of pain, misery and despair. If an animal can have its suffering ended why not a human? Humans are no better than animals and they are not inferior. There are many types of euthanasia. Every one is different, every case is different. Defined by a dictionary EUTHANASIA:an easy mode of death:the act or practice of putting painlessly to death, in cases of incurable suffering. Why disallow such a relieving procedure?
Posted by: anon1484
Doctors today are not bound by "I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel". Doctors now swear a new version of the Hippocratic Oath that states, "...it may also be within my power to take a life;..." This new version was written in 1964 and is more modern than the one written in 400 BC. Also, doctors are not required to take the oath, though most do.
Posted by: anon216
How come Oregon is the only state that believes in Euthanasia?
Are any other states projected to vote for it in the future?
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