How do you all feel about phyician assisted suicide? For those of you who are unfamiliar with the practice, it is usually when a doctor gives a patient some pills or other such life-ending substance for him or her to take when ready. This is generally for the elderly and terminally ill; those with only months left to life, and are in great amounts of pain. It is presently illegal in all states except for Oregon, where it is under close supervision by the state government.
Some other interesting things to note: Roughly 40% of doctors in the USA will receive a request from a patient to help them to commit suicide, and roughly 20% of these requests are gone through with. Perhaps more insteresting is that this happens significantly less in Oregon, where it is legal, than outside the state in illegal areas. Approximately 1 in 1000 dying Oregonians will do through with the process, while in other states the ratio is 4 in 1000. This is probably due to the safegaurds placed by the government in Oregon to protect against missuse.
Your thoughts?
Some other interesting things to note: Roughly 40% of doctors in the USA will receive a request from a patient to help them to commit suicide, and roughly 20% of these requests are gone through with. Perhaps more insteresting is that this happens significantly less in Oregon, where it is legal, than outside the state in illegal areas. Approximately 1 in 1000 dying Oregonians will do through with the process, while in other states the ratio is 4 in 1000. This is probably due to the safegaurds placed by the government in Oregon to protect against missuse.
Your thoughts?
