Preview

Point of View

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
650 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Point of View
Should Assisted Suicide Be Legal?
Denise Smith
03/16/2015
HUM/115
Marguerite Dominguez

Should Assisted Suicide Be Legal?

As I type this opening paragraph for my essay, I should precursor this by saying that I 'm beginning this piece as a non-advocate for assisted suicide. It 's not just about my religious views, but also for the fact that I believe that with modern medical miracles, anything can happen. If you tap out of the fight too early, you may never know what could have happened. I understand that the situation can feel hopeless, and one can be in so much pain that one may feel like they can 't take anymore, but I 've witnessed first-hand desperate situations turn into miracles. My father was diagnosed in 2009 with Stage 3 Esophageal cancer. The chances of him living, especially at 65 years old, were thirty-three percent, at best. Today, he is one hundred percent in remission and living his life as a healthy senior man. That example alone is my reason for not believing in assisted suicide. A publication in the Evening Chronicle states that assisted suicide may be a dangerous law to pass. If legalized, it could set a precedent for those that are disabled or terminally ill to take their lives as to not be a burden to their family or friends (Anonymous, 2010). The author also goes on to discuss how legalizing assisted suicide could, "create pressure, particularly on those who are newly disabled, to end their lives. We should be fighting for proper health and social care support so that we can live with dignity." (Anonymous, 2010). Joe Cartwright from the Dignity in Dying campaign stakes his claim in this battle arguing , "It is about replacing a bad death with a good death." (Cartwright, J. 2010). Mr. Cartwright also goes on to make his point touching on the fact that some just can 't afford the proper health care and couldn 't bear the thought of leaving their families and loved ones with so much medical debt. There is another


Citations: Cartwright, Joe. (2010, Sep 03). Evening Chronicle, Interviewee. NPR. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2014/11/20/365509889/debate-should-physician-assisted-suicide-be-legal Should assisted suicide be legal? (2010, Sep 03). Evening Chronicle Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/749388857?accountid=458
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    ENG 111 Final Paper
    • 3005 Words
    • 9 Pages

    ENG 111 Final Paper

    In today 's society one of the most controversial issues is physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Many feel as though it is wrong, regardless of their health condition to ask their health care provider to end their life. Others feel it is their right to be able to choose how and when they die. For those who believe physician-assisted suicide should be their choice, they feel it should be legal because: they don 't want to go through the suffering caused by the life-threatening illness, they fear the loss of their independence, becoming a burden to their family and friends, and the fear of dying alone.…

    • 3005 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Summary: Should Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?
    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Summary: Should Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?

    When we think about the idea of physician- assisted suicide, we most likely feel as though that the act itself should be considered murder. During 1997, The President at the time Bill Clinton signed into regulations “The assisted suicide funding restriction act”. The regulation omitted the use of federal monies to pay for physician assisted suicide, as well as euthanasia, and also mercy killings in the United States. According to the New England Journal of Medicine Physician assisted suicide is now currently legal in three states, they are Oregon, Washington,…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Pros And Cons Of Death With Dignity
    • 342 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Pros And Cons Of Death With Dignity

    “Be smart, be strong, live honorably and with dignity, and just hold on” (Fray). Physician assisted suicide or better known as Death with Dignity isn’t your everyday topic or thought, but for the terminally ill it’s a constant want. The Death with Dignity isn’t something that all people or religions are in favor of and nor is the act passed in all states in the United States. Only three states in the U.S. today, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington offer their residents the option to have aid in dying as long as all the requirements are met. Death with Dignity doesn’t effect just the terminally ill person, but as well as family and friends around them creating many conflicting thoughts when opinion if Death with Dignity is truly moral and a choice…

    • 342 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide
    • 161 Words
    • 1 Page

    Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

    Every person knows what the circle of life consists of- to be born, to grow and to die. The lines between the right and wrongs of each are fuzzy and unclear. Assisted suicide brings up one of the biggest moral debates and there are so many questions with no clear answers: who should and shouldn’t be allowed to assist in suicides? Should assisted suicide be just for the terminally ill, or for all? What protection will there be for the people? and the biggest question of all- is it right or wrong? Those who are considered “pro-death”, believe that being able to choose how one dies is their own right. That there is a significant “difference between killing a patient and allowing a patient to die” (Breslow). Others however, believe The Suicide…

    • 161 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

    Not all terminally ill patients will choose this option, but it should be available for those who want it. Coping with the diagnosis of a terminal illness is difficult for both the patient and the patient’s loved ones and it only becomes more difficult as the disease progresses. Being given the ability to decide when to die allows the patient to feel a sense of dignity and control during a time when he or she may not have control over anything else in life. Not only does physician-assisted suicide provide a sense of relief to the patient, it provides relief to family and friends. Watching a loved one die is one of the most challenging things to endure in life. It only becomes more challenging when forced to watch a loved one die a slow and painful death. Physician-assisted suicide can provide closure to everyone involved in a situation dealing with a terminal illness; therefore, it must become legal in all fifty…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Branson's Arguments Against Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Branson's Arguments Against Physician Assisted Suicide

    Some of the most vocal against these laws are the Seniors Against Suicide, who claim that illness is never a reason to commit suicide and that assisted suicide is simply the easy way out of caring for a terminally ill loved one. The issue with this is that, while these members of this organization are more than welcome to have their own opinions, this is no basis to deny someone of their final wishes. The beauty of the Death with Dignity laws is that they are an option for mentally capable adults who fear the debilitating effects of their disease; it is not an enforced rule that applies to all people with six months to live. Not everyone follows the religious guidelines that proclaim suicide to be a sin, nor does everyone have the stamina to allow their infliction to overwhelm their being, but more importantly: no one should be forced to suffer when they do not have to. Now, to this, many would claim that instead of dying, the sufferer could substitute it with palliative care, which would ease the pain. However, this only alleviates a fraction of the problem; morphine does not stop the body from withering away, does not prevent the shadows under their eyes from forming, or eliminate the immense burden from everyone involved. As was mentioned previously, patients can also develop a resistance…

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide Pros And Cons Essay
    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide Pros And Cons Essay

    When a patient has a terminal illness and seeks results of physician-assisted suicide, the patient values the quality of life and not the quantity. According to, the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, "No State shall... deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." (Stokely, Anne. Points of View: Assisted Suicide. 3/1/2016, p6-6. 1p). Therefore, the pros of physician-assisted suicide are; the patient can die with dignity, the patient along with relatives no longer must suffer, and health care costs for the patient are reduced. Authorizing physician-assisted suicide would make it simpler to direct its practice and shield against misuse. To…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Legalize Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 1344 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Legalize Physician Assisted Suicide

    Terminally ill patients, like Brittany Maynard, that sit in hospitals for the rest of their days generally feel their liabilities hovering over them. The main issue these patients have is watching their family have to pay all the hospital bills. Patients usually feel guilty about this because they know that when they die, their family will go into financial debt. According to an article that is for the legalization of assisted suicide, “The cost of maintaining a dying person has been estimated as ranging from about two to ten thousand dollars a month" (Torre 1). If the patient were to die naturally it would be painful for the patient, and it would leave the family in financial ruin. We, as citizens, must also consider that in the final stages of a patient’s life, the medicine does not take away the pain as much as it used to because the body has adapted to the frequent use of it. Assisted suicide would be a good option for a scenario like this because they would die in a calm area without any burdens. Not only would it fix the financial problems within a family, but often times when a patient…

    • 1344 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay Against Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 1132 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Essay Against Physician Assisted Suicide

    Physician-assisted suicide is currently a hotly debate issue within the United States government. Physician-assisted suicide is defined as when “a physician assists a patient in dying by writing a prescription for a legal dose of a drug that the patient self-administers.” (Behuniak & Svenson, 2003). Physician-assisted suicide is illegal on a federal level, however; the practice has been legalized within 6 states: California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Montana (Author, 2017). The practice of physician-assisted suicide is flawed in several aspects. Firstly, it places people of a lower socioeconomic class and people that suffer from mental illnesses at a greater risk. Secondly, physician-assisted suicide degrades the sanctity of life. Lastly, physician-assisted suicide is exploited by insurance companies as a way to cut costs, because medication for a lethal-dose prescription costs less money than the care of a patient over several months or years. Physician-assisted suicide is a…

    • 1132 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide 3
    • 858 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide 3

    There is much controversy over whether or not physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. Physician-assisted suicide should be supported because terminally ill patients should have the right to decide whether or not they wish to die. Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the individual assisting in the suicide of a patient is a doctor rather than a friend or family member. However, studies indicate that many physicians are unwilling to provide their assistance in suicide because it conflicts with their ethical beliefs or because it is illegal. Supporters of legalization believe that terminally ill individuals have the right to end their own lives in some instances and that patients, in spite of current law; continue to practice regularly, in secrecy. Opponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that widespread legalization would cause abuse rather than reduce or control it. The opposition side maintains that legalized assisted suicide would lead to deaths of patients who do not really wish to die.…

    • 858 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Assisted Dying Ethics
    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Assisted Dying Ethics

    Without understanding the compassion for assisted dying, it’s a challenge to get past the stigma. Opponents assert it’s unethical, but in reality, assisted dying is the basis to having a righteous ending. When we grant people the right to die, we promise them a dignified death. By offering a choice we give way to an escape from the pain, and the unnecessary suffering that would otherwise lead to the same fate. There’s more to the surface than just life and death. The mindset that goes behind it is what it means to have a dignified death.…

    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Assisted Suicide
    • 928 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Assisted Suicide

    often labeled compassionate, according to the columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Joni Eareckson Tada, legalized assisted suicide or euthanasia is really a deadly double standard for those with severe disabilities, both conditions that are labeled terminal and those that are not. She seems to be of the opinion that euthanasia should never be considered an option no matter how severe or subjective suffering the person is facing. In the article, Tada claims that legalization of euthanasia, “sends a clear message that a person with a disability may not have a life worth living” (1). She touches on euthanasia in The Nethlands and Belguium . She stands for a powerful example of a person with this depilating condition, in this case quadriplegia, can accomplish in spite of her condition. However this is somewhat of a bias perspective because it implies that she has put a measure on the subjective pain this condition and similar to it entails. There should be certain conditions set in order to qualify for euthanasia so that it is an option for people who want it but we can also make a system to prevent people from misusing it. We were granted free will which includes the right to end our life when we chose.…

    • 928 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Death With Dignity Argumentative Essay
    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Death With Dignity Argumentative Essay

    Wesley Smith wrote that “Once we accept the assisted suicide of terminally ill patients, we will over time come to accept the killing of chronically ill patients, disabled people, depressed patients, and ultimately perhaps, even children” (Smith, 2006). B. It can soon be determined that people who burden us or somehow seem unnecessary for whatever reason should as well be seen as a candidate for physician aided suicide. C. Although it is currently illegal in the United States this evolvement of the death with dignity may eventually even open the minds of many to the idea of the unspeakable. (Paralipsis)…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Legalizing Assisted Suicide
    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Legalizing Assisted Suicide

    Legalizing assisted suicide gives an option to patients who have a terminal illness where they can end their lives painlessly instead of living a short life in pain or medicated with strong pain killer. Legalizing assisted suicide doesn’t mean the patients will use the prescriptions the doctor give them to end their life, "Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen said he expects doctors to write between 10 and 20 lethal prescriptions a year, with a smaller number of patients actually using the drugs" (Ring). Legalizing assisted suicide gives the option to people who are sick a way out, but it doesn't mean they have to use the option. Oregon has had physician assisted suicide legalized for 19 years where, "In the last 17 years in Oregon, doctors have written 1,173 prescriptions. Of these, 752 patients have used the medication to bring about their deaths and 421 have chosen not to use it, said Patricia A. Gonzalez-Portillo of Compassion & Choices" (McGreevy). Little more than half of the statics from Compassion and Choices show that the patients took the prescription. Compassion and Choices is an organization that fights for patient’s rights. The patients that did end their lives suffered from terminal illness from cancer to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) where most the patients were suffering from pain or losing their abilities to care for themselves and were put in a nursing home or hospice. Doctors give people who get sick medication, but when people are unable to beat their disease there’s not much a doctor can do besides offer hospice. Some patients would rather die than be placed in hospice care, "The "big picture" here is that currently, some human beings are being left to suffer long, painful deaths. Some would prefer to stop living - and would gladly do…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Assisted Suicide
    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Assisted Suicide

    I have watched two family members now suffer in pain from end of life diseases, one from end stage brain and lung cancer which was diagnosed 3 months before the passing and the other emphasymia for 20 years. Although both deaths were different they both could have used assisted suicide, especially the cancer patient. My children’s great grandmother was 69 when she passed. She was a fairly healthy woman, she worked until 65 and then she watched my oldest daughter for 3 years while I worked. One day she wasn’t feeling well, the day after Christmas she went to the doctor. They did some e-rays and gave her some medicine saying they thought it was pneumonia. She went home and one hour later they called her into the office again. She was informed that she had 7 large tumors in her lungs. They did more x-rays and she also had 5 tumors in her brain one of which needed to be removed immediately if she wanted to survive the week. She had the surgery and was never quite the same. She never did recover from the…

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics