Assisted suicide soon to be legal in Canada

[Meadbh]

The Supreme Court of Canada has just ruled that the legal ban on assisted suicide is unconstitutional and violates the Charter of Rights. Governments have a year to draw up new legislation.

Supreme Court of Canada strikes down ban on doctor-assisted suicide | National Post

 

[donheff]

Wow. Maybe that will be the next human rights movement here.

 

[Amethyst]

Horrible as it is to contemplate, we could see an uptick in "suicide tourism" across the border. Not too long ago, I read an article about American women in their late 60's, doomed to decades of disability and pain from severe osteoporosis, who travel to Switzerland for euthanasia before they are really ready for it...because they are afraid that if they wait until they are completely ready to die, they will not be able to manage the travel.

Amethyst

 

[Midpack]

Assisted suicide is "legal" in several US states - though that seems subject to some interpretation in that I find reports stating it's legal in as few as 3 states, and others claiming it's legal in 34 states.

It should be legal under certain circumstances IMO (when quality of life is gone/all but gone), but I have no fight with most other POVs.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Societ...ide-laws-since-Brittany-Maynard-s-death-video

 

[donheff]

Not too long ago, I read an article about American women in their late 60's, doomed to decades of disability and pain from severe osteoporosis, who travel to Switzerland for euthanasia before they are really ready for it...because they are afraid that if they wait until they are completely ready to die, they will not be able to manage the travel.

Amethyst

this is a problem with Alzheimer's. If you don't do it too soon you are too late.

 

[GrayHare]

The lower the affordability of Social Security benefits, the greater will be government support for assisted suicide.

 

[Amethyst]

Midpack is correct...my memory was a bit off...only a few of the Switzerland-goers were Americans. Most were from European nations that don't allow assisted suicide. The problem with osteoporosis, though, is that the patient has to find a doctor who is willing to assist in the suicide of someone whose lifespan would otherwise be "normal."

Tourism to Switzerland for assisted suicide is growing, often for nonfatal diseases - The Washington Post

 

[braumeister]

The lower the affordability of Social Security benefits, the greater will be government support for assisted suicide.

Very refreshing and upbeat. Please don't ever become cynical.

 

[Helen]

The lower the affordability of Social Security benefits, the greater will be government support for assisted suicide.

As long as organizations don't intervene on other people's "behalf". I believe I read that it costs more to execute someone than it does to provide for lifers.

I'm all for doctor assisted suicide. I wish we could take it farther and put a provision in for future incapacitation. When I had my aneurysm procedure performed I wasn't so much afraid of dying as I was of having to live with brain damage. I don't want to live that way and I don't want to waste the financial resources that could otherwise be used more productively.

 

[Sunset]

The Supreme Court of Canada has just ruled that the legal ban on assisted suicide is unconstitutional and violates the Charter of Rights. Governments have a year to draw up new legislation.

Supreme Court of Canada strikes down ban on doctor-assisted suicide | National Post

Great !
I've been dying to hear this.

 

[Sunset]

Seriously, I am in support of this vs the current methods used in those States where it is not legal.

Namely starving the patient to death by stopping the feeding tube (a relative).
I've also heard of the "unplug the machine" but do people realize how horrible it is to suffocate to death?

Personally I'd like the option (which I did for my sick dog) to get a needle in the arm and "go to sleep" gently via an overdose of anaesthesia.