Abraham Lincoln once said, “And in the end, it is not the years in your life that count, it 's the life in your years.” ("Abraham Lincoln Quotes"). This can be interpreted in many different ways, but in the end, it’s the quality of life that matters. What quality of life do terminally ill patients have? They are in pain, in and out of hospitals, some bedridden, and some in vegetative states. In these situations, there is no quality of life. Physician-assisted suicide is when a physician provides the necessary information to a terminally ill patient allowing them to end their life on their terms, and at the time that they see fit. While it is still looked down upon by many, legalizing physician-assisted suicide would be providing a great benefit
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Terminally ill patients who are in pain are only given medication as an attempt to keep them comfortable until their untimely death. These patients deserve the right to hasten their death, and to end their suffering. The well-known Professor Stephen Hawking agrees, people who suffer from a terminal illness should have the right to end their life. Hawking states, " I think those who have a terminal illness and are in great pain should have the right to choose to end their lives and those that help them should be free from prosecution. We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?" ("Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal”). Hawking believes that making a person suffer until the very end is unnecessary and inhumane. Patients should not have to suffer for months knowing the only end is death. They should have the option to end their life before it becomes …show more content…
If that 's the case, there are many acts that can be thought of as immoral, for instance, lying, cheating, pre-marital sex, and using abortion as a method of birth control. These things are all legal but were once, and still by some, thought of as immoral. Just like some people do not participate in the above acts, some people will not participate in physician-assisted suicide. Legalizing this act would not make it mandatory and would not change the medical attention that would be received. It would simply be an option for those who are in need. To qualify for Physician-assisted suicide the patient must be terminally ill with only six months to live, this must be confirmed by two different doctors. They must also be over the age of 18, declared competent by a psychologist, and the information must be requested three times. As you can see, physician-assisted suicide is not about a depressed person wanting to escape everyday life. It 's about a terminally ill patient wanting the option to end their life on their own terms and not at the hands of an incurable
Terminally ill patients who are in pain are only given medication as an attempt to keep them comfortable until their untimely death. These patients deserve the right to hasten their death, and to end their suffering. The well-known Professor Stephen Hawking agrees, people who suffer from a terminal illness should have the right to end their life. Hawking states, " I think those who have a terminal illness and are in great pain should have the right to choose to end their lives and those that help them should be free from prosecution. We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?" ("Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal”). Hawking believes that making a person suffer until the very end is unnecessary and inhumane. Patients should not have to suffer for months knowing the only end is death. They should have the option to end their life before it becomes …show more content…
If that 's the case, there are many acts that can be thought of as immoral, for instance, lying, cheating, pre-marital sex, and using abortion as a method of birth control. These things are all legal but were once, and still by some, thought of as immoral. Just like some people do not participate in the above acts, some people will not participate in physician-assisted suicide. Legalizing this act would not make it mandatory and would not change the medical attention that would be received. It would simply be an option for those who are in need. To qualify for Physician-assisted suicide the patient must be terminally ill with only six months to live, this must be confirmed by two different doctors. They must also be over the age of 18, declared competent by a psychologist, and the information must be requested three times. As you can see, physician-assisted suicide is not about a depressed person wanting to escape everyday life. It 's about a terminally ill patient wanting the option to end their life on their own terms and not at the hands of an incurable