Assisted suicide law clarification imminent - people should be able to end the pain legally.

A case in the UK has really got me thinking.

BBC Result in Right to Die case

A woman with multiple sclerosis is due to find out whether the Law Lords have backed her bid to clarify the law on assisted suicide.

Debbie Purdy, 46, from Bradford, is considering going to Switzerland to end her life, but fears her husband may be charged on his return to the UK.

She wants an assurance her husband, Omar Puente, will not be prosecuted.

Although no-one has been prosecuted in such circumstances, they could potentially face 14 years in prison.

I hope than none of us have to deal with this issue in our futures. However I think that it is a distinct possibility that it will. It may be a good idea to start this debate so that if the time comes, you are familiar with it and have an opinion.

What is assited suicide?

Assisted suicide is the process by which an individual, who may otherwise be incapable, is provided with the means (drugs or equipment) to commit suicide. In some cases, the terms aid in dying or death with dignity are preferred. These terms are often used to draw a distinction from suicide; in some legal jurisdictions, "suicide" (whether assisted or not) remains illegal, while "aid in dying" is permitted[citation needed].

The term euthanasia refers to an act that ends a life in a painless manner, performed by someone other than the patient. This may include withholding common treatments resulting in death, removal of the patient from life support, or the use of lethal substances or forces to end the life of the patient.

I used the Wikipedia description as the many webpages dedicated to this are usually country specific and not very helpful (I'm sad to say).

I believe that anybody who wishes to be relieved of a chronic illness, when at the point when there is unbearable pain and loss of quality of life, should be allowed by law to undergo an assisted suicide.

I believe that as long as there is no doubt that they have made their decision, I mean that doctors have been informed from the onset of the patients disease that the patient has choses AS, there should be no barriers to the process.

Do I have any moral problems with this? None at all. Imagine being locked in a body, unable to do anything for one's self, wracked with the most excrutiating burning pain imaginable, would you want to be kept alive because some idiot in a Senate/Parliament/behind a Dr's Desk told you?

Killing is wrong? I feel that in this case, killing is justified, we see fit to put our dogs down if they are in agony, run over by a car, but our own kind, no let them suffer in pain.

Ridiculous.

This news item is about the lgal standing of this lady's husband should he chose to assist her in Swtizerland. But this just shows how inadequate the Law in the UK (and in most countries] is. This woman should be allowed to do this in her own home' surrounded by her loving family, in the knowledge that her family will not be breaking any laws.

I sometimes think that civilisaton, is not very civilised at all.

Update*********update

A woman with multiple sclerosis has made legal history by winning her battle to have the law on assisted suicide clarified.

Debbie Purdy, 46, from Bradford, is considering going to Switzerland to end her life.

She went to the House of Lords because she feared her husband, Omar Puente, could be prosecuted for helping her.

BBC News

Good for her, for once common sense has prevailed, having said that, they may clarify the law and make it illegal to assist someone with assisted suicide.



[edit on 30-7-2009 by kiwifoot]

I do think if you are in that position then yeah, you should be able to die. Dying against the law?? How stupid is that? But when does it become "silly", to think of a better word? You'd get alcoholics not wanting to go on, people with low immune systems who always get sick wanting to die etc.

I agree though, if it is a really serious illness then yeah, because the pain must be unbarable. It really is simple as that.

Right to die today.

Mandatory euthenasia tomorrow.

Slippery slope....

reply to post by kiwifoot


I think that if someone is terminally ill and suffering, they have every right to an assisted suicide if that is what they want. It's not up to anyone but the individual that is suffering.

S & F for your thread.

Originally posted by hardamber
Right to die today.

Mandatory euthenasia tomorrow.

Slippery slope....

Do you think?

If it's so hard to die legally by assisted suicide, imagine how impossible it will be to bring in mandatory euthenasia.

Slippery slope maybe...but a huge slope!

reply to post by kiwifoot


Exactly, it's the Government/Law that is fighting the "right to die" at every turn, so I really don't see them suddenly turning about and introducing "mandatory euthenasia"..

Honestly, some people need to remove their tin-foil hat a little more often, don't they?

"people should be able to end the pain legally" So what you going to say to the heroin addict or alcoholic who want to die? or what about the people who are depressed and want to kill them selfs? You can't say yes to some people and say no to other people!

Thats what it will turn into, mabay not right away but it will.

Tsom98

reply to post by TSOM87


This isn't so much about the persons who want to commit suicide, but rather anyone who could be seen as helping them, such as this ladies husband who could be prosecuted on his return from Dignitas in Switzerland.

That is what this is about. You cannot stop anybody killing themselves, but you can prosecute anyone seen as helping them.

Originally posted by TSOM87
"people should be able to end the pain legally" So what you going to say to the heroin addict or alcoholic who want to die? or what about the people who are depressed and want to kill them selfs? You can't say yes to some people and say no to other people!

Thats what it will turn into, mabay not right away but it will.

Tsom98

Wouldn't htese people just kill themselves normaly anyway?

They don't need assistance.

We're talking about people that cannot move, have to have everything done for them (or will one day soon), and are in intense pain.

We're not talking about addicts that are tired of life.

I don't want to be a body, with someone having to tend to my every need, wipe my arse for me. I desire a little dignity and will, if given the chance, the choice, end it before I get to that point. I have also made the promise to my parents to assist them should the need arise. I hope that the people who love me will never have to make the choice of to respect my choices and face convinction or to ignore my wishes and wonder whether I understand why they couldn't. I am an adult and if, for very good reason, I wish to end my life, and need assistance to do so, I should be allowed to. Laws should exist to defend those unable to do so themselves, laws should not be there to prevent the individual from making an adult decision that only effects that individual.

If it was brought to the UK the place would never be empty. All the drug Addicts, Alcoholics and people who are Depressed ect would take advantage of it rather that having to jump of a bridge.

Tsom87

reply to post by TSOM87


You do realise this court case is to do with legality of helping someone commit suicide in a foreign country where it is legal? A very specific query relating directly to loved ones who wish to be there during your final moments. This really has nothing to do with the act of suicide at all. Stop banging on about drug addicts, you're like a stuck record.

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by TSOM87

 

You do realise this court case is to do with legality of helping someone commit suicide in a foreign country where it is legal? A very specific query relating directly to loved ones who wish to be there during your final moments. This really has nothing to do with the act of suicide at all. Stop banging on about drug addicts, you're like a stuck record.

Yeah lol i do know that....

I was just saying if it was brought to the UK, you know the clinic, where these people chose to die. These types would take advantge of it.


Tsom87

reply to post by TSOM87


I doubt it would ever be in the UK. The best anyone could hope for is non-prosecution of those wanting to go with them. Having said that, there is nothing stopping said addicts and the like topping themselves anyway. Whether there is a clinic to go to or not will not stop anyone killing themselves.

I think that if you have the right to abort a baby and have other certain rights to your body then you should have the right to end your life to end the pain and suffering. I know this is a slippery slope but I think it's the right course of action should one employ the option. I mean we euthenize animals to put them out of their misery why can't we do this to people suffering?

reply to post by DDay


I completely agree. I hadn't really considered the abortion angle.

Well put.

People have the right to die if they want to.

I think it's totally absurd that the government tries to dictate what you do with your own body.

reply to post by Kaytagg


For perhaps the 3rd time in this thread, this isn't about your "right to die", but rather making sure your relatives/loved ones aren't prosecuted for accompanying you to the Suicide Clinic in Switzerland.

Helping someone to die is illegal as it was decided that it is a slippery slope and one they weren't prepared to walk along. People could claim that "so and so" wanted to die when they really murdered them, for example.

The problem arrises when people go to Switzerland to use the clinic and take their loved ones. They fac prosecution on their return for "assisting a suicide", which is illegal.