Why Assisted Suicide Should Not Be Illegal

The question of whether to legalize physician-assisted suicide has remained a hot
topic for centuries. Currently, Oregon is the only state in America with laws that allow for the
above procedure (Neurology Today, 2002). In Europe, on the other hand, Switzerland and the
The Netherlands lead the way in championing assisted suicide, while Britain is the most
notable country where the procedure is considered illegal under homicide law. According to
The Guardian, (2019), 90% of the nation’s population support assisted death procedures. The
topic above remains complex, but on the whole, assisted suicide should not be
illegal.
In the jurisdictions that permit assisted suicide, these procedures are only as a last
resort where the physicians try everything else first. Assisted suicide only becomes an option
after confirmation of a diagnosis that the patient is terminally ill, and with only six months to
live. As Yuill (2013) explains, assisted suicide is more often an act of compassion to patients
that are in severe pain and deteriorating health with no hope of recovery. Accordingly,
assisted suicide should be seen as a mercy, and physicians should not be treated as murderers
and criminals for suggesting the same.
Most opponents of procedure argue that assisted suicide cheapens the life of an
individual (Yuill, 2013). However, this could not be further from the truth. There are rigorous
steps before an assisted suicide procedure can be finalized including the patient confirming
the decision three different times, more than 24 hours apart (Goligher et al., 2017).
Furthermore, assisted suicide is considered an option only when a patient is terminally ill, in
pain, and with less than 6 months to live. The above provisions not only confirm the high
value placed on the patient’s life but also give time for all other options to be considered.

Why Assisted Suicide should be Legal 3
Consequently, assisted suicide should not be illegal for it shows compassion to
patients that are terminally ill and rids them of their pain. What’s more, the procedures follow
due process to ensure that the value of every life is safeguarded as much as possible.

References

Goligher, E. C., Ely, E. W., Sulmasy, D. P., Bakker, J., Raphael, J., Volandes, A. E.,
Patel, B. M., Payne, K., Hosie, A., Churchill, L., White, D. B., & Downar, J. (2017).
Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in the ICU. Critical Care Medicine, 45(2),
149-155. https://doi.org/10.1097/ccm.0000000000001818
The Guardian. (2019, March 3). Legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, say 90% of people
in UK. the
Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/03/legalise-
assisted-dying-for-terminally-ill-say-90-per-cent-of-people-in-uk
Neurology Today. (2002, February). Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized? :
Neurology today.

Why Assisted Suicide should be Legal 4

LWW. https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/Fulltext/2002/02000/SHOU
LD_PHYSICIAN_ASSISTED_SUICIDE_BE_LEGALIZED_.3.aspx
Yuill, K. (2013). Assisted suicide: the liberal,