I feel weird starting this thread, but I can't find a discussion on it here yet, or even a similar thread from the past, I'm from New Jersey, and my avatar is a painting by Dr. Kevorkian, so...

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...uld_allow.html

"Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) on Monday quietly proposed a bill that would grant doctors the right to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to patients who have less than six months to live. It’s called the New Jersey Death with Dignity Act."

Anyone have any idea of the chances this passes? This is clearly not popular, but I haven't heard of anyone trying to get such a bill passed here before (except I do remember when Montana passed it in 2008). According to wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_euthanasia
"As of 2011, active euthanasia is only legal in the three Benelux countries: the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and in the US states of Washington, Oregon and Montana."

Personally, I'm all for it. People shouldn't be forced to suffer when it's clear they will die soon anyway and their desire to die isn't due to mental illness (when you have to question whether it's their true desire or the mental illness speaking). Let people have a little control of their lives back.

Agree , I am watching a grandmother of mine succumb to dementia/alzheimers, it is not preety.and its really taking a toll on my immediate family. I know I am offing myself one way or another way before the late stages.

This is a little murkier. When the dementia takes over enough, you aren't going to be mentally sound enough to make the decision. Prior to that point, you have a lot more life to live (though you won't mentally be there for all that life, and as you notice it is a big strain on the family). I'd have to give this more thought.

not only should they not be forced to suffer, the rest of society shouldn't be forced to pay for their expensive as **** end of life care just to watch them suffer for a few more months. if they want to end it let them, seems obvious to me I'm all in on this

Provided there are checks built into the system to make sure it isnt misused I have no problem with this and frankly I dont understand why anyone would.

+1

Why waste money on someone in a situation where they don't want to live, don't enjoy living, and have no chance of improving the situation. The money is much better spent on other programs (or lowering taxes, etc.).

Even if they're rich enough to pay for 100% of their medical bills, I don't see how forcing someone to live their last days in a horrible/unthinkable situation is good for anyone...I know if I was facing it I'd want to die. I'd avoid the pain, avoid the heartache of watching my family see me in pain, and I'd leave more money to take care of my family after my death.

What about younger people suffering from anything they do not wish to live with? Should doctors be able to assist in their suicide? What if its government subsidized insurer and has to meet certain guidelines...should the government really be involved in helping it's citizenry kill it self, much less deriving conditions for its execution (no pun intended)?

At first glance, seems like a novel idea, but the slippery slope seems really dangerous.

Nonsense, we've been doing this for decades in The Netherlands and I don't see anyone advertising death pills on TV. Also, it's not being abused in another way.

Instead people are grateful they have the permission to choose their own destiny. The freedom is #1 priority people don't a free pass on this issue without explaining themselves.

So you support doctors killing people.

If the people asking it of them are permanently suffering unbearably why not?

Ofcourse safeguards should be build in the regulations, but I'm glad I don't ever have to suffer unbearably if I don't want to.

so you support people in perpetual agony every second of their existence being forced to endure incredible amounts of pain with no hope for it getting better?


two can play that game

My body my rules. If I'm of sound mind and want someone to kill me why shouldn't I be allowed to? I can't think of anything worse than being in constant agonising pain, knowing it will never go away and be unable to kill myself.

LOL.....I was equivocating on purpose in light of another thread. I don't know what I believe on this subject, TBH. I do know the doctor is not "killing" the patient. The patient is killing the patient.

We keep on approaching and then backing away from this in the UK, we should learn from the Dutch.

Why the state should have any say in determining when I might wish to die is absolutely beyond me.

We're all terminally ill, it just takes some longer than others to go, Some get to go easy and some languish in pain and it's hard. It seems incredible to me that the state effectively sanctions, indeed demands, the torture and slow death of some of it's citizens.

Terry Pratchett - Choosing to Die

I went through this with my mother and since then have thought a lot about what options there are. But killing yourself is not going to work. In the middle stages you already stop remembering what is really wrong with you but in most cases your life is still worth living. It does mean you will no longer see the logic in killing yourself by the time you would like to do it.

And even in the Netherlands it is not possible to legally perform euthanasia on someone who is no longer sound of mind. Even if that person had made it very clear that this is what he or she wanted before getting to that stage.

I hope that the Netherlands will get to a point where they allow living wills that clearly state you want to die long before things get really ugly. And that my family is strong enough to make that decision for me when the time comes. I definitely will make sure to live in a country that allows euthanasia when I get old.

Law or not, if I have a terminal illness, I'm going to die on an overdose of booze/coke/viagra/strippers.

The problem is when you aren't physically capable of acquiring these things yourself. The person who gets them on your behalf shouldn't go to jail for killing you.

Agreed.

How does this work mechanistically in the US? (Like im pretty sure the doctor/nurse can't actually administer the drug right?)

As far as I know, the doctor would just prescribe the drug. Actually giving the drug would look a lot like murder. But what if the person were so physically disabled that they couldn't take the pills themselves? Do they have to suffer just because they're worse off than some of the others? I would hope not, but it's harder to convince those making/voting on the laws of this.

The thing is we all know this is happening. It doesnt get much publicity but the over administration of drugs, the turning off of machines (which isnt the same thing technically, but lets be honest, it is), travelling to countries that allow assisted suicide and even starving to death happens.

There is a case a few months ago by Tony Nicklinson that was brought before the courts. Basically he has locked in syndrome so it is almost impossible to communicate, and he cant do anything else, even though he is mentally fully capable. He can travel to the Dignitas centre in Switzerland and he can starve himself to death but both are obviously against his wishes which is to have a peaceful death at home with his family. I dont see how he can be denied his choice, and yet his doctor or his wife or whoever else would be charged and likely convicted of a crime (manslaughter I assume, maybe full murder) if they were to give him a high dose of morphine or a handful of painkillers etc. That just cannot be right in my opinion.

this is a situation that will be need to be addressed and taken seriously in the next few years . end of life care and keeping those barely alive through medication those that would rather not suffer anymore will be something that will break medicare/medicaid , if not already broken.

A statement that you can make while still in a somewhat clear mind (beginning stages of dementia) , with video proof , asking for euthanasia when certain capabilities go (bladder control , cant remember your family members etc etc)
is something i would sign up for.