Euthanasia: Should it be Legal?

Way back before modern civilization as we know it was even thought about, doctors practiced under the Hippocratic Oath, stated by Hippocrates in 400 B.C. which says: “To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.” Since the 1970s, this oath has largely fallen out of use.

If you have ever read the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, you have been exposed to this. Remember those scenes where those considered too old or troublesome to do anything useful or those who defied the government were punished? Euthanasia was given to them just before they were sent across the river. On a personal viewpoint, I remember reading this and wondering what happened to the people, where they went after this. Now that I know that deadly drugs were given to them, I am doubly horrified.

Different types of euthanasia are legal in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the states of Oregon and Washington. At pet shops across Mexico, there is a drug known as liquid pentobarbital that is used by owners to euthanize pets. When given to humans, the drug can give them a painless death in under one hour. Elderly tourists from across the globe seeking to terminate their own lives were reported to be flying out to Mexico.

Assisted suicide is where the patient volunteers to take the last step in their death. It is contrasted with "active euthanasia” - also called Physician Assisted Suicide – and the sole difference is important, so much that one is considered illegal. Euthanasia can only be considered "voluntary" if a patient is mentally competent to make the decision, and has a rational understanding of options and consequences. It is true that the cost of ending life early is quite cheaper than getting daily treatments. Resulting from this, there will come a point where patients will feel pressured to take this seemingly unbearable weight off of their family’s shoulders.

By now, you must be aware of the fundamentals of this subject. Another reason that I am against this is because it rejects the importance and value of human life. The philosopher Immanuel Kant said that “rational human beings should be treated as an end in themselves and not as a means to something else. The fact that we are human has value in itself.” Our value in life doesn't depend on whether we are having a good life that we enjoy, or whether we are making other people's lives better. We exist, so we have value.

Since the 19th Century, euthanasia has sparked vigorous debates across various countries. In 1828, the first known anti-euthanasia law in the United States was passed in New York. After the Civil War, voluntary euthanasia was promoted by some doctors. Euthanasia societies were actually formed in England to promote the act. Although euthanasia legislation did not pass, PAS euthanasia was declared legal in Switzerland as long as the doctor ending the life had nothing to gain. During this same era, US courts tackled cases called “mercy killings” which were done by parents to their severely disabled children. Basically, this has been on its own up and down journey of approval and condemnation throughout the centuries.

The point that is not getting across to most people is that we cannot get rid of the problem by exterminating those who cause them. Hemochromatosis, HSV1 and mononucleosis are different types of diseases in which the carriers – who are mostly women – do not show symptoms of the disease. Say the government pulls a Giver and kills off everyone that shows signs of them; do you think you have solved the problem? Well, what happens when the carriers mate, and their partners get the disease, and it gets passed on, an epidemic begins again?

What I am trying to tell you is that, quite simply, killing is not the answer. Maybe you have a disease that is going to end up killing you anyway, and you’ve prayed, and pleaded, and checked and re-checked, but your death is inevitable. Why try to speed up your death? If there are painful conditions, there are always new medications that numb the pain. I say, instead of making plans to kill yourself, enjoy your last few weeks with your family and friends.