A woman named Evelyn was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. She immediately took aggressive action against the cancer, poisoning her body with various pills and radiation. All of these treatments left her body unresponsive and in constant pain (Woodward 23). Thankfully, there are organizations, such as the Compassion of Dying and Death with Dignity, that would help Evelyn end her life, if she chose, through physician assisted suicide. But, there are also groups that would prefer Evelyn to live through her cancer, and the pain. They believe this due to various reasons, such as religion, or morals. Patients suffering from terminal diseases should have the option to end their “suffering” using physician assisted suicide or euthanasia. Euthanasia
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While euthanasia is legal in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Euthanasia). In a recent poll conducted in November 2014, 2,276 adults were asked if they supported physician assisted suicide. The results showed that 74% of adults supported the idea (Most). This means that there are more people in support of physician assisted suicide than there are against it. Now that there is more information available about physician assisted suicide, the doubts about it are decreasing. Because Oregon was the first state before the 2000’s to legalize physician assisted suicide (State-by-State), if Evelyn decided to go through with a legal suicide, then she would have had to be a resident of Oregon when she requested it. In early 2016, California will become the fifth state to legalize physician assisted suicide (State-by-State). If Evelyn had been alive in 2001, she would have been able to see the support that physician assisted suicide has gained (State-by-State). Evelyn would have also been able to die as her choice rather than someone else forcing her to use physician assisted …show more content…
But the Constitution’s First Amendment states that “the government shall make no law ‘respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof '" (Paulsen). The First Amendment basically says that no law will be made that oppresses religion, and they will make no law that is based on religion. In shorter terms, the First Amendment strongly implies that church and state are separate. Suicide is not against the law, the penalties for attempting suicide were removed in order to help the patients seek out care and guidance without having to worry about being prosecuted (Marker). If suicide is not against the law, then why would physician assisted suicide be against the law? Patients, such as Evelyn, would have consulted their options with a physician, or therapist and determined their “quality of life.” Suicide should not be considered okay if the person is able to receive help from their doctors or therapists, but if a terminally ill patient has “run out” of treatment options or is refusing any treatment, then they should be allowed physician assisted
While euthanasia is legal in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Euthanasia). In a recent poll conducted in November 2014, 2,276 adults were asked if they supported physician assisted suicide. The results showed that 74% of adults supported the idea (Most). This means that there are more people in support of physician assisted suicide than there are against it. Now that there is more information available about physician assisted suicide, the doubts about it are decreasing. Because Oregon was the first state before the 2000’s to legalize physician assisted suicide (State-by-State), if Evelyn decided to go through with a legal suicide, then she would have had to be a resident of Oregon when she requested it. In early 2016, California will become the fifth state to legalize physician assisted suicide (State-by-State). If Evelyn had been alive in 2001, she would have been able to see the support that physician assisted suicide has gained (State-by-State). Evelyn would have also been able to die as her choice rather than someone else forcing her to use physician assisted …show more content…
But the Constitution’s First Amendment states that “the government shall make no law ‘respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof '" (Paulsen). The First Amendment basically says that no law will be made that oppresses religion, and they will make no law that is based on religion. In shorter terms, the First Amendment strongly implies that church and state are separate. Suicide is not against the law, the penalties for attempting suicide were removed in order to help the patients seek out care and guidance without having to worry about being prosecuted (Marker). If suicide is not against the law, then why would physician assisted suicide be against the law? Patients, such as Evelyn, would have consulted their options with a physician, or therapist and determined their “quality of life.” Suicide should not be considered okay if the person is able to receive help from their doctors or therapists, but if a terminally ill patient has “run out” of treatment options or is refusing any treatment, then they should be allowed physician assisted