Feb
Is there any country where euthanasia is legalized for end stages in cancer?
Answer:
Couple of thoughts:
First of all, heroin is not needed. Narcotics in general are direct derivatives of heroin (morphine, codeine) or chemically related. They are already approved, readily available, work just as well, in fact better likely. My experience is that when people die excruciating deaths it is usually because someone inexperienced was at the "pain" controls. As a cancer doc who cares for many terminally ill patients, I do what is necessary to relieve suffering. At times the doses required are enough to suppress respirations and end life, but the main issue here is THAT is not my endpoint, it is the relief of suffering. Death is a by-product. That is completely different from euthanasia, in which death is THE endpoint.
The problem with euthanasia is that it starts out for the empathetic terminally ill patients suffering with cancer or other painful, miserable diseases. However, who is next? The mentally ill/retarded, institutionalized, homeless, depressed, poor? Don't laugh… all of these people potentially can make an argument in suffering in some way or another that might make them want to end their lives. Ethically speaking, ignoring the moral consequences, if one can end his life for pain (which is subjective), then one can end his life for a multitude of other reasons as well just as reasonably. It is truly a slippery slope, and if you don't believe some will try to abuse it, then you are naive.
I don't support euthanasia from a moral standpoint. I DO believe life is sacred, yours and mine. I also believe that good palliation or relief of suffering is a right; when done properly, it helps the patient and relieves any of the family/friends from any ethical issues regarding helping someone with suicide.
Answer:
Sweden ……………………
Answer:
It is time that the US finally take a good look at this issue. Having watched my dear mother suffer a horrible death due to cancer I would have loved to see her suffering ended. (at the end she was begging someone to let her die!) I had read, many years ago that Heroin will stop the pain from cancer but the FDA will not allow it since it is addictive and not a controlled substance. DEAR LORD!
Answer:
Outside of some places in Europe, not to my knowledge.
The issue needs to be seriously looked into here in the United States, and legalized.
The hell with this evangelical "culture of life" bullshit.
What kind of a life is it to be in such incessant, excruciating pain that you pray for death with every heartbeat?
My mother was in such agony while she was dying of pancreatic cancer that she seriously considered suicide, and asking me to help her end her life….. the only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that her then 23 year old daughter would be sentenced to life in prison, if not worse, for first degree murder.
Ellen, I agree with you completely!!!!!!
Why the hell should the government care if a terminally ill patient gets addicted to drug if it helps kill the pain????
Answer:
It oughta be legal everywhere. There are a couple places in Europe, but I cant remember which ones.
I have talked to a lawyer about this in the us. If euthansia is part of your plan, you need to make sure you are alone, your loved ones have iron clad alibies, and you admiinister the od and die by yourself.
Answer:
I don't know of any countries where euthanasia is legal; in Switzerland assisted suicide is legal and there is an organisation called Dignitas whose clinic some terminally ill people travel to.
It's not euthanasia because the terminally ill person has to drink or inject the fatal dose themselves without assistance (someone else cannot, for instance, steady their hand as they drink) so that nobody can be charged with murder, and the whole process is video taped so that evidence can be provided to the police that it was suicide.
It's a wonderful organisation and thank goodness it's there; but I believe that should I become terminally ill I should have the right to end my life at a time of my choosing and die with dignity in my own home. I made a living will after being diagnosed with cancer, but that only ensures that I should not be resuscitated in specified circumstances (I live in the UK, btw).
My mother too died in pain, and I agree it is outrageous that substances that could relieve the pain of a dying person are not permitted because they may become addicted.