Speach on legality of euthanasia
Answers
Explanation:
Euthanasia also called mercy killing is the intentional practice of ending life so as to relieve pain and suffering of a person (Encyclopedia Britannica). It differs from suicide in that under suicide, it is the person who takes his or her own life. Euthanasia is further categorized in to passive or active and voluntary, non-voluntary or involuntary. Active euthanasia is criminal while passive euthanasia is non criminal. The big debate surrounding euthanasia is whether to consider it as voluntary thus becoming a suicide or involuntary murder. Further, there have been numerous arguments as to whether a certain death could be considered easy, happy, painless or wrongful.
The history of euthanasia stems from historian Suetonius description of Emperor Augustus death as “quick and without suffering in his wife’s arms”. The term entered the medical field when Francis bacon in seventeenth century used it to refer to an easy, painless and happy death in order to remove physical suffering while under a physician.
In current use, it depends in whether a person gives informed consent before euthanasia is applied. In 2003, the European Association of Palliative Care (EPAC) Ethics task Force coined the statement that “medicalized killing of a person, whether involuntary or non-voluntary is murder. Euthanasia can only be voluntary that is with the consent of the patient.” Passive euthanasia involves withholding of common treatments from a patient like giving of antibiotics and which are vital for life to continue. Active euthanasia involves the use of lethal substances or drug to kill the patient.
Despite the many controversies that have been evident in defining euthanasia, the reaction it invokes in people is as diverse. It has found a place among other sensitive issues like abortion. Such issues have further called for voices from the media, politicians, professionals in all fields and the common man.
The legality of euthanasia has also been a subject of controversy since time immemorial. The Roman and Greek empires treated the idea of a “good death” with care. The Athenians for instance could obtain permission to acquire poison with the intention of using it to die. Romans also did not punish those who wished to attempt suicide as long as they were not considered irrational. This continued until Pythagoreans condemned it on a basis that only God had a right to take someone’s life (McDougall et al 2008). Throughout history many people have questioned the legality of euthanasia as well as seeking new way to address the problem. This is still evident by the look of diverse ways in which euthanasia is considered in different countries around the world; some embrace it, some do it partially while others refrain completely.
The timeline on some notable cases that involve euthanasia will help in understanding the difficulties it has caused the society. In 1968, doctors in the Harvard Medical School proposed to include brain death as the criteria upon which end of life could be based. This was the first step to standardize a reference point, the irreversible coma, on which death could be acceptable to all.
The first national hearings on euthanasia in U.S Senate took place in 1972 and was entitled Death with Dignity. It provided a base where professionals and common man held discussion on weighty matters especially the irony of medical advances prolonging a patient’s life yet diminishing his dignity and quality of his life.
1976 saw matters related to death taken to court with the courts allowing the parents of one, Karen Quinlan, to remove her from the respirator. She had entered an irreversible coma and she died later in 1985. Her case became a landmark for euthanasia in many states. This was followed by a number of states in the United States passing laws that would have seen legal standing being bestowed to living rights and advance directives.
All along the Catholic Church under the tutelage of Pope John Paul II was not left behind in the issue. He issued a Declaration on Euthanasia in 1980 which opposed mercy killing but allowed individuals the right to refuse measures for sustaining life. Later on after still numerous debates in many countries, the Netherlands became the first to allow euthanasia by enabling their Supreme Court to allow voluntary euthanasia in 1984.
The early nineties saw a Dr. Kevorkian help his first patient to commit suicide in 1990; he was nicknamed Doctor Death. At the same time, the U. S. Congress made a ruling that allowed competent adults constitutional rights to refuse medical treatment. 1993 witnessed President Clinton and his wife announcing their support for use of living wills as well as advance directives. The following year was characterized by voters in the state of Oregon passing measure sixteen. This was the Death with Dignity Act that was meant to allow physician assisted suicide.
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Explanation:
Euthanasia is the intentional causing of a painless death. Euthanasia should be legal in every state. It is already legal in some areas and if put to a vote in every state, it most likely would become legal.
Euthanasia is performed by the attending physician administering a fatal dose of a suitable drug to the patient on his or her express request. ... Palliative sedation is not a form of euthanasia: the patient is simply rendered unconscious with pain reducing drugs and eventually dies from natural causes.
Overall, the firmest benefit of legalizing euthanasia and PAS would be to relieve the excruciating and unremitting pain of 25,000 or fewer dying Americans each year. To put this into proper perspective, 1 per- cent or fewer deaths would be improved by legalizing euthanasia and PAS.
Euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States. Assisted suicide/assisted death is legal in Washington, D.C. and the states of California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Maine (Starting January 1, 2020), New Jersey, Hawaii, and Washington; its status is disputed in Montana.