Euthanasia Essay - The Controversial Issue of Doctor-Assisted Suicide

The Controversial Issue of Doctor-Assisted Suicide      Ã‚   Imagine youu have just found out you are going to die within three months. Recently the questions have been changed form, "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?" to "When should I kill myself"?   With painful and crippling diseases such as AIDS and cancer, and Alzheimers along with doctors such as Dr. Kavorkian, some people are choosing death over life.   Doctor assisted suicide has been a very controversial subject in the past few years.   Some states such as Oregon have passed laws which allow doctors to prescribe lethal drugs to patients who have less then six months to live.(Henin 1)   Other state have taken the opposite side.   I believe that if you are able to reason and think rationally you should decide whether to live or dir.   If not the people who know you best should make the decision.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If you are ever in a situation where you now you wil soon die the choice whether or not to kill youself should be your own.   I believe that doctorassisted suicide should not be controlled by the government, but should be apersonal choice based on the individual.   Many people could not imagine living in a hospital bed for the remainder of their lives.   They would rather die with dignity than live out the rest of their lives depandant on others.   The government thinks that they know what is best for the people. If everyone is an individuall, how can the government know what is best for everyone.   I feel that people shold make up thir own minds about what is best for them.   Joshua Haney worote an article on assisted suicide.   He says, "Everyday we make choices tha... ...rite,s "We all di.   Death is a part of life. Death is inevitable.   Why should each of us not have the right to choose when and how we did; and if we are in no position to do so, why shoulld those who know us best not be allowed to help? Why is it considered acceptable for sospital staff to indefinitely postpone death with machines and tubes and potent toxic pharmaceuticals, and not to help people go easily when their time has come?   Wher is the humanity in all this? (Kushner 3)          BIBLIOGRAPHY    Haney, Joshua, "RE: Assisted Suicide,"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.yahoo.com 4/16/96    A. Wilkie Kushner, MB-Reprinted from Letters to the Editor, Gobe & Mail  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.yahoo.com    Hendin, Herbert, MD, Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia:   Oregon Tries the Dutch Way,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wellness Web, The Patient's Network, www.yahoo.com