We've had a post on this. I believe in euthanasia should be a patient's choice. Nursing homes will use artificial means to keep elderly patients alive regardless of their wishes. My nana was pampered with baby food and drugs till she was 109.. My grandmother was a vegetable for 7 years with a feeding and breathing tube. My paper work DNR.

Something to think about if an animal is in extreme agony if it is old or if it is mad with disease take it to the vet inject it with a lethal dose of phenobarbital put it to sleep, this is considered a humane thing to do. If a human is suffering keep them alive as long as possible to prolong the agony they have to endure.

When a person facing a long, painful, wasting away, it is an appropriate choice for himself or herself. It has to be a personal choice.

It is a difficult one. I fully support an individual's right to end their own life. When it comes to someone assisting in that process then this is an area which would need to be very carefully regulated with clear and unambiguous guidelines and regulations. Asking for your life to be ended to relieve intolerable pain and suffering is an obvious candidate, but how about someone suffering debilitating mental health problems? How about non-resuscitation requests?

In principal. I generally agree that assisted suicide should be legal, but with clear and unambiguous guidelines.

I'm all for euthanasia. Allowing people to die with dignity. Allowing their family and friends to remember them as they were - not to watch them die a slow and demeaning death. And yes even saving money

The great Dr Kervorkian who I admired ,believed In It. The idiotic judicial system put him in jail for assisting one of his terminally ill patients in utilizing the machine he invented to administer a lethal dose of a mixture of drugs to end his suffering.This country is so backwards and archaic it’s pathetic .

Great idea. Can we start in the Oval Office?

Just being a smart ass. With reasonable safeguards in place and structured to avoid misuse and abuse, I am all for it.

If I'm brain dead and in need of life support to stay alive then harvest what you can of my organs that can be used for someone else then pull the plug. I'll never know. Now, will I?

I believe that everyone should specify in their will how they feel about this . I personally would want this for my self if necessary . Other countries are way ahead in their views on this subject .Why is it that almost everyone is not against euthanasia for their pets but against it for people

I feel we should look after our own kiddy’s first. Then worry about youth in Asia, ???? Seriously though, if you wanna die it should be illegal to stop you. Simple as that . No one lives your life. Only you.

If somebody is in immense pain, suffering, maybe locked in syndrome, then I think it should be perfectly legal. We control our own bodies, we should be able to decide what happens to them. As long as it’s your own decision or will etc.

They shoot horses, don't they? If something is life-threatening, or there's terrible chronic pain, or the prognosis is nothing but deterioration of body & mind, them I'm in total agreement. But turning to it just because you're depressed is a slippery slope IMHO.

To answer @Diarmaede - I think it's the person themself that gets to decide, with the help of the medical community who rubber stamps it. If the person is not mentally capable, then it's okay IF they have a legal living will drawn up. Just my opinion, but I think that's the safe way to go... otherwise, like you say - leaving it to some arbitrary legal entity without those safety nets in place leads us to Soilent Green.

I am completely for it! After watching my grandmother suffer for years with Alzheimer’s and dementia, I feel it is what is best in situations where there is no longer a quality of life.

There are worse things than death and I have put my fare share of loved dogs down in tears.I would of done the same for my dad and sister if I could of when they were very ill.if I can't wipe my own ass I don't think I want to be here either.

If it comes to a time with me when I can't even clean my own arse I'd be wanting out.

I think everyone has a right to end their lives provided they’re of sound mind when they do it.

When my cat was old and cancer took hold, I took her to the vet and she died peacefully before she began to suffer. If I'm ever in the same situation, I hope someone will show me the same kindness.

As a vet, I have witnessed agonizing ends with zero hope of survival suffered through to the bitter end. I will be forever haunted as I could have done something, but had my hands tied, legally.

Regarding human euthanasia, I would be for for it IF we could somehow assure no abuse of it, which I am pretty certain can not be done. I watched my husband suffocate to death when the cancer ascended his spine to the point of paralyzing his diaphragm. We could legally do nothing to help this absolutely winless situation. Vets treat animals better.

...a lot of paperwork.. I supported Oregon’s ‘death with dignity act’ prior to ‘everyone coming to Ore to die!’ It passed, and few if any came… One, if not the first of it’s kind in the US, extended studies have shown it’s worked well, truly allowing families to experience a death with dignity.

If you’ve a ‘death panel’ in mind, we’ve not come to that. But establishing national health care, then placing limits on heroic measures for those with little time would be fine with me.

Recently, my father checked on a neighbor, the neighbor asked him for something. When my father returned with it from his home, his neighbor had shot himself in the head ... rather than having his family find him like that or ‘running up hospital bills.’ American euthanasia? My father’s stoic, if deeply shook...

[ I apologize to those not living within the USA for generally speaking as though everyone does ]

I think its crazy that I could be jailed for wanting to end my own life - It seems that people in power think they have a right to own my personal - life and death . I don't want to be a drain on my societies resources if I am no longer functional.

What is your definition of euthanasia? If you are dealing with Death with Dignity then I am 100% for the idea. If you are speaking of abortions because of a physical or mental defect in the fetus, then no, but should be left to the parents of the unborn.

My main fear is that it would become an affordable option on health insurance, as opposed to more costly treatment. And what would the limits be? Someone who was tired of eczema? End stage terminal disease I would say yes.

Like anything, it could be abused. An unethical son wanted to speed up the demise of his mother to gain her inheritance, for example. Any system involving euthanasia would have to be strictly monitored, rules put into place, judged on a case by case basis. I definitely agree that for someone dying a painful or humiliating death, with no hope of recovery, the humane thing to do is respect their wish to die.

For someone without the mental capacity to make the decision, it becomes more difficult of course.

And then there would be young, healthy people with severe depression or mental disorders, what if they wish to die? I haven't thought about this enough yet to have an opinion.

"What is the measure of a man". Inuits took walks on the ice when they could no longer participate in the tribe. Suicide is wrong because...why...a person does not own that choice for themselves? Bravado to fight desperate battles against incredible odds? Society commits capital punishment...taking a life in the name of justice or "just reward". The headstones with empty names having more weight than the beating heart of the unborn. We do not have the maturity to morally kill someone.

If you have reached a stage of no return and further living is going to be physically very painful. Yes.