We should all be allowed to check out at any time, for any reason.

Yes, and not just for the terminally ill. Anyone who genuinely wants to end their life, and is not clinically depressed should have the option, especially older people for whom the prospect of living is considerably more horrifying than the prospect of dying. I have written a novel 'The Ladies' Suicide Club' covering the arguments.

Fuck YES. I had to watch my brother die a long and painful death because euthanasia may be available to end the suffering of a pet that's beyond help but we have to let our loved ones linger and die in pain and torment. He was a good man and didn't deserve to suffer like he did once all hope was gone.

I worked in a nursing home, one the old ladies got cancer of the spine. This cancer turned on every nerve bundle 100% on 100% or the time. Imagine every inch of your body on fire, being crushed, freezing, being cut. Add that ever joint being wrenched out of socket. Add to that the worst stomach and intestinal pain you have ever experienced. We had her on maximum morphine drip as high as we could go without killing her. She still screamed in pain night and day for 2 weeks, she didn't sleep, just screamed. The staff all wanted to do the humane thing and accidentally set the morphine drip too high, but none of us wanted to risk jail.

In Oregon,it's legal. Forcing one to live in misery is cruel...

I agree theTerminal patient has the right...someone who is depressed...NO. Do we really want to be supporting Depression triggered suicide...that's a very dark rabbit hole.

My life, my choice. Period.

Yes

I know my answer, and it is not an absolute yes. I support the idea, especially among those with terminal or intense physical pain. Deep psychological pain though, and I know some will argue, is much more difficult to support. I won't go into my history, just know I can and do empathize. Time and science pushed me over the top. Therefore, when there is a strong possibility for recovery, I cannot support euthanasia. I agree that mental pain is horrible to suffer; i do, however, see the two in a differing light.

I don't have a problem with suicide at all. If you want to die, go for it. Just make sure it works.

I, for one, absolutely think it should be legal. I may need it myself in the not too distant future.

The right to die is also valid in my opinion.

Yes, yes yest. When I have enough that will be it, no matter what the law says.

I believe in assisted suicide. Particularly for the terminally ill. And those with no hope of pain control.

However in the case of severely depressed individuals or untreated mental disorders? Try treatment first.

In the depths of despair - wrong decisions are made. I've seen that time and again. It's brain chemistry and stress. Get someone back to "average" and then see what their decision is.

I worked on a Mobile Crisis Unit - the difference between a client being taken in for treatment and going back out? Night and day. And it can be really unwilling when they go in.

If life is still entirely intolerable - maybe.

But there would have to be checks and balances.

People have no problem with committing suicide over a period of 65 years with reckless sex, tobacco, alcohol and food and then dying slowly and horribly, but just try doing it in one painless shot.
It's like the moral guardians want to make sure you pay for any enjoyment you may have experienced with an agonizing death.

The state does not own my life. Neither do any of my fellow citizens who are so arrogant as to believe that they know the value of my life better than I do.

I met Dr. Kevorkian once. Interesting guy.

Terminally ill, I think so. Just don't want to be here... I don't know.

Should be. Noone needs suffer much waiting for miracle happen.

The church stands in the way. They think its unacceptable because it's 'unnatural' and not gods will. They say we have free will yet everything was gods will. So was it gods will for them to decide not to suffer or free will? Why do they care? They're not the one 'going to hell' for the choice of someone else.

I agree that one should have total control over their own bodies. That said - there are legal ramifications.
Let’s assume you know some people who parent(s) have Alzheimer’s. Advanced Alzheimer’s, to the point where they cannot physically function, except to drink and eat. Do you think their children “have the right to decide to end their lives”? What if you knew their children “were in a hurry to claim their assets” and that was their motivation?

Physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill is currently legal in Oregon and Washington. In cases of physician-assisted suicide, the patient must have less than 6 months to live, be of sound mind, make a request vocally and on paper, have it approved by multiple physicians, and then wait 15 days, followed by another request.

My concern is that it can be abused by relatives or others. Several years after the Netherlands legalized physician assisted suicide an investigation revealed that the required protocols were often not followed & some pretty questionable cases were uncovered. I don't know if the weaknesses in the system have been corrected or not.