Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay
“In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death, I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.” Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill, in October of 2015, making California the fifth state permitting physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Six states have made physician-assisted suicide legal. Assisted suicide is knowingly and intentionally providing a person with the knowledge or means or both required to commit suicide, including counseling about lethal doses of drugs, prescribing such lethal doses or supplying
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Robert Baxter, a 76 year old truck driver dying from lymphocytic leukemia asked the court to establish a constitutional right “to receive and provide aid in dying.” Judge Dorthy McCarter ruled that a competent patient has the legal right to die with dignity under the Montana Constitution during the case Baxter v. Montana. “The Attorney General of Montana appealed the ruling of Judge McCarter to the Montana Supreme Court. The Court found that ‘we find no indication in Montana law that physician aid in dying provided to terminally ill, mentally competent adult patients is against public policy’ and therefore, the physician who assists is shielded from criminal liability by the patient’s consent.” The state of Montana does not have any legal protocol in place. Recently in 2011, the Montana legislature tabled two suicide bills. One would have banned the practice altogether, while the other would require a doctor to diagnose them being as being terminally ill. As well as the request being signed by two witnesses and the patient would also have to see a second doctor. Vermont was the fourth state to pass the law when signing on May 20, 2013. Next, was California passing the law on October 5, 2015. The latest state to pass the law was Colorado on November 8, 2016 and will go into effect in January of 2017. Those three states have the same protocol and requirements on
Robert Baxter, a 76 year old truck driver dying from lymphocytic leukemia asked the court to establish a constitutional right “to receive and provide aid in dying.” Judge Dorthy McCarter ruled that a competent patient has the legal right to die with dignity under the Montana Constitution during the case Baxter v. Montana. “The Attorney General of Montana appealed the ruling of Judge McCarter to the Montana Supreme Court. The Court found that ‘we find no indication in Montana law that physician aid in dying provided to terminally ill, mentally competent adult patients is against public policy’ and therefore, the physician who assists is shielded from criminal liability by the patient’s consent.” The state of Montana does not have any legal protocol in place. Recently in 2011, the Montana legislature tabled two suicide bills. One would have banned the practice altogether, while the other would require a doctor to diagnose them being as being terminally ill. As well as the request being signed by two witnesses and the patient would also have to see a second doctor. Vermont was the fourth state to pass the law when signing on May 20, 2013. Next, was California passing the law on October 5, 2015. The latest state to pass the law was Colorado on November 8, 2016 and will go into effect in January of 2017. Those three states have the same protocol and requirements on