Argumentative Essay: The Right To Die

On November 1, 2014, just shy of her 30th birthday, a young woman named Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act to end her life. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal cancer just eleven months earlier. After having brain surgery in an attempt to stop the growth of the tumor, the tumor came back and doctors only gave her six months to live. With no cure her only option was radiation that could leave her scalp with first-degree burns and her hair singed off. Brittany and her family decided that radiation was not worth the physical and emotional pain it would cause.

The article “ California's New law”states “ Nearly 70 percent of deaths end in hospitals, nursing homes” ( John C. Goodman) also the article stated “ you will become bedridden” (John C. Goodman) The evidence that was found is important because, it tells us that when you are dying you can't do anything you basically rot like a couch potato. Also, when you die it will most likely be in a hospital, so we might as well end the pain and go through with Assisted Suicide. The article supports, “ one common objection to these laws is that patients who request an earlier death may simply be depressed. Its extremely difficult to diagnose depression in dying patients because the symptoms overlap almost entirely with those of terminal illness” ( Marcia Angell) The evidence proves that patients that know they are dying and don't want to live any longer or know they are depressed and want to end their life should have the right to do

• Death with Dignity Act - Oregon Health Authority states that, “ Oregon passed a law that allows terminally ill residents to end their lives through voluntary assisted suicide of lethal medication, directly prescribed by a physician.” - To be granted the ability for assisted suicide, the individual has to be suffering from a terminal disease and have a doctor that has confirmed that they only have 6 months or less left to live. - The Death with Dignity National Center says that, “By adding a voluntary option to the continuum of end-of-life care, these laws give patients dignity, control, and peace of mind during their final days with family and loved ones.” • Examples of some of the terminal illnesses that should be allowed for assisted

This is what differs with the 82 year old patient. He does not want to pursue assisted suicide but rather die a natural death. However, what is similar is the stance of “I want to die on my own terms.” Both decide that they are entitled to their autonomy despite what is perceived as what is in their best interest. Brittany was able to successfully die with dignity in spite of the legal obstacles she faced.

In order to “die with dignity” Maynard moved from California to Oregon to be able to exercise the right to die. At the time, Maynard’s home state of California, had yet to legalize the right to die. Oregon was one of the first states to legalize death with dignity in 1997. Her controversial devision sparked a conversation regarding: death with dignity, ethics of physicians, and patient rights. In an article published by the Washington Post, Brittany Maynard defied the stereotypical, “wealthy, white, and elderly”.

If they want a trained medical doctor to safely and peacefully end their life, then that is their decision. Many people feel that this choice may be helpful to patients who are tired of struggling, however others think that this solution will not solve anything and only cause more harm. Although some individuals feel it is devaluing

Patients have the right to the kind of treatment they want. 3) Conclusion a) Physician assisted suicide can help treat the terminally ill how they would like to be treated. b) The long history of assisted suicide speaks for itself in the matter of if it should be legal or

Patients who decide to end their lives but lack the proper resources for physician-assisted suicide will take drastic measures to end their lives. As described in a YouTube video The New York Times uploaded, “Jack Kevorkian and the Right to Die” many patients still find ways to end their lives, often more dreadful and burdensome. The video described how many patients choose to starve themselves to accelerate their time of death or relocate to a state where physician-assisted suicide is allowed. Despite the illegalization of physician-assisted suicide, patients determined to end their lives continue to find methods to go through with their desires. By not allowing people to have the proper means to end their lives, they turn to more drastic and painful measures to force death upon themselves.

However, there is hope of a peaceful death for these patients that exists in a controversial law being considered by many states throughout the country. It is known as the Death with Dignity Act. This law gives terminally ill patients the option of ending their own life in a painless manner at a time and place of their choosing by

There are real case incidents in which a 14 year old girl suffering from terminal cystic fibrosis is asking her country’s president for permission to end her life. She had self shot a video in which she says “I am tired of living this disease and she can authorize an injection through which I can sleep forever”. The girl's video has sparked a broader conversation about whether euthanasia should be legalized in the largely Catholic nation. According to me we should let euthanasia be legal as there is no significance in keeping them alive against their wish as we don’t know how much they are suffering. Another incident is where the woman moved to Oregon where euthanasia is legal to take advantage of Oregon’s death with Dignity Law.

You or someone you love goes through unbearable suffering every day, caused by a terminal illness or incurable disease. There is no reason to go through such intolerable pain. You might think you will die with nothing left, not even your dignity, but contrary to popular belief, this is not true. There is a way to put a stop to the suffering. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide are practices that have been around since the time of the Romans and Ancient Greeks (Euthanasia.procon.org,2016).

Imagine having to endure so much pain and suffering for a majority of your life that you would just want it all to end. Well, there is a way one can stop their own pain and suffering and it is called euthanasia. Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease. The act may only be done solely to those diagnosed with terminal illnesses such as cancer, aids, and heart disease. Many people agree with the idea of euthanasia as it can help those who are suffering be stripped of all the pain they are enduring.

In this case, and many others worldwide, physician assisted suicide is morally permissible at all ages for anyone with a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months. This is supported by act based utilitarianism and the idea of maximizing pleasure and reducing pain and suffering on an individual circumstance. By allowing a terminal patient to die a less painful death, in control of the situation, and with dignity, the patient will have amplified

As people come across painful diseases, they do not want to suffer any longer. They will begin to ask their love ones, doctors, nurses, and others to help them end their life. Many call this action assisted suicide. The medical term of assisted suicide is called Euthanasia. Euthanasia come from the Greek word eu meaning” good”, and the Greek work Thanatos meaning “death”.

There are multiple factors correlated with each individual case. An individual with a terminal illness with no cure should be able to consent to the ability to end their life on their own means. “Patient centered deontology is the best ethical framework for evaluating the moral permissibility of euthanasia. It allows Patient autonomy and making judgments based on the act and agent themselves rather than the consequences” (Nathan, 2015). There is no difference in active and passive euthanasia, they are morally permissible, and that the distinction between active and passive euthanasia, in itself, actually diminishes the autonomy of the patient because this deems the agent as external in contrast to the patient acting as the