Euthanasia is it really worth it ?

Euthanasia is it really worth it ? Michael Di Marino SBI4U Mr. Watts http://www.deathreference.com/images/medd_02_img0110.jpg

What is Euthanasia ? • Euthanasia comes from the Greek antiquity meaning Good (Eu) Death (thanatos) Euthanasia today • is the intentional termination of ones life, by a painless method, by another at the clear request of the person who dies.

Different types of Euthanasia • Passive Euthanasia- The speeding up the death of a person, who is terminally ill, by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course. • Ex. The withholding or removing of life support from a patient • Stopping medication • QUESTION – Is there really a difference ? • Active Euthanasia – causing the death of a person, who is terminally ill, through a direct action in response from that person. • Ex. Injecting of lethal medications. • Removing tubes http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rqH4fUbko2U/SDlj-qI2cgI/AAAAAAAAHTg/vATmlk66VG8/s320/life+support.jpg

Different types of Euthanasia • Physician Assisted Suicide or Voluntary Passive Euthanasia – A physician supplies information and or the means of committing suicide to a person, terminally ill or in pain from disabilities, so that they can easily terminate their own life painlessly. • Ex. Physician prescribing a lethal does of sleeping pills to the patient • Delivering lethal amounts of morphine to a patient These Types of euthanasia are very controversial • Involuntary Euthanasia – The killing of a person who has not explicitly requested aid in dying. • Removing life support of a patient in a vegetable state

Excessive Chronic Pain- Pain becomes un bare able anymore and want the problem to be solved Money- lack of this, force people into making choices they don’t want to make. (above) Depression – people believe their life is meaningless Decide that suicide would solve their problem. Does it ? Seems to solve a temporary problem Terminal Illness Don’t want to diminish their life assets on LARGE medical bills Serious disorder Effects their way of life, and they do not want to live anymore Is it better to be dead though? Diagnosed with Progressive illness Fear of losing the quality of life they have Lose of Independence From the lose of personal dignity What causes people to resort to Euthanasia?

Is Euthanasia Legal ? • In some forms, yes • Active and Passive euthanasia have been preformed by all most every doctor. • When it comes to Physician Assisted Suicide, it is ILLEGAL in most places • In Canada it is crime everywhere to perform this. • But, in some places this is accepted. • The Netherlands PAS is tolerated, as well as Australia’s Northern territory, and the state of Oregon. • These places have harsh restriction on PAS • This is still a topic debated in many nations, even Canada, around the world • It is not legal though to tell someone to just kill you! http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/images/usa/oregon.jpg http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212302/netherlandmap.jpg

Why is Euthanasia an issue ? • Suicide is NOT illegal • And passive + active euthanasia is not illegal. • Theses are not illegal because everyone has the right to their own life. Like stated in the Canadian Criminal Code. • This is an issue because of ETHICS • People don’t believe you should be able to decide if you should live or not. (elderly people) • People also argue that if someone is in pain, and doesn’t wish to live, they should have a right to chose if they should live or not. • Basically people fear that euthanasia is just killing.

Effects • IF all forms of euthanasia was legalized in Canada what would happen? • People would feel more obligated to end their life, if something bad happened to them. • Also keeping people alive cost the government + tax payers money • Why keep someone alive if they no longer have a good quality of life? • People could also use this as a way to just end their lives. • May force people, elderly , into euthanasia. This has both positive and negative sides to it.

Euthanasia in the 21st century • The talk of legalization • Would those effects stated occur ? • Is still debated on ethics • Does not seem like a solution will be coming any time soon. • For now, cases around the world still occur. • Dr Kevorkian is the main person surrounding euthanasia. • He was the one who was arrested for PAS, many people. • He “helped” approximately 130 patients. • And spent 10 years in prison for it

What are your thoughts ? • Would you be able to pull the plug on your loved one? • Should it be your decision to pull the plug? • Should it be theirs ? • This is why euthanasia is such a debated topic, because a solution will never satisfy everyone

Works Cited • Euthanasia. Retrieved December 13th 2009 from http://www.markville.ss.edu.on.ca/history/religion/EUTHANASIA.html • Euthanasia and Assisted suicide- Jack Kevorkian. Retrieved December 13th 2009 from http://law.jrank.org/pages.1098/euthanasia-assisted-suicide-jack-kevorkian.html • Euthanasia and Physician Assist Suicide. Retrieved December 13th 2009 from http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth1.htm • Euthanasia in Canada. Retrieved December 13th 2009 from http://duhaime.rog/legalresources/criminallaw/lawarticle-100/euthanasia-in-canada.aspx • Euthanasia-Euthanasia: History, controversy, facts. Retrieved December 13th from http://family.jrank.org/pages/468/euthanasia.html

Euthanasia is it really worth it ?