Where do you stand on legalising assisted death?

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 04:08PM #1

It's a topic that's gaining some momentum in the UK.
With recent documentaries by Terry Pratchett and also the doc, "let my dad die" which documented Tony Nicklinson's case.

I can see it a lot of of support for it over there.

Personally, I feel it's time has come, it is an act of compassion and means for a patient with an incurable disease to have dignified exit.

Please note; I'm not talking about assisted suicide!!! That is completely illegal

Can you you see a time when Ireland would introduce this law?

chin_grin · 27-06-2012 04:10PM

GastroBoy wrote: »

Please note; I'm not talking about assisted suicide!!! That is completely illegal

Wait, forgive my ignorance but I thought it was the same thing?

Personally yeah. I don't want to be an old idiot complaining about the youth today and not being able to do the easiest of physical tasks without taking hours to do so. (Driving/walking/other things-ing).

shopaholic01 · 27-06-2012 04:12PM

I'm all for it, assisted suicide too. Why be left lingering in misery or pain and waiting to die?

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 04:13PM

chin_grin wrote: »

Wait, forgive my ignorance but I thought it was the same thing?

Just covering my ass there, assisted suicide as in just helping someone out without proper legal consent = illegal

charlietheminxx · 27-06-2012 04:13PM

I would like to see it introduced but I don't think it'll happen in the near future in Ireland.

I mean, just look at how long it's taking them to legislate on abortion. I know it's a different subject, but Ireland tends to put these things on the long finger.

27-06-2012 04:13PM

Think it should be allowed. I don't think doctors should be allowed kill the person but they could supply the person with the means to do it themselves.

Of course there would be some suicidal people who would be paralysed or whatever, something would have to be done to accommodate them.

I do think that people should have to have extensive counselling beforehand because many suicidal people suffer from mental illnesses which are usually treatable.

Chips Ahoy · 27-06-2012 04:14PM

I stand in the corner.

Shryke · 27-06-2012 04:14PM

Is abortion even legal yet? Ireland is more backward than some would like to admit.

CL7 · 27-06-2012 04:16PM

GastroBoy wrote: »

Just covering my ass there, assisted suicide as in just helping someone out without proper legal consent = illegal

Covering your ass? It isn't illegal to talk about it. I'm in favour of legalising assisted suicide.

Nothingbetter2d · 27-06-2012 04:16PM

shopaholic01 wrote: »

I'm all for it, assisted suicide too. Why be left lingering in misery or pain and waiting to die?

yup if i have a stroke or brain aneurysm, terminal uncurable cancer or an accident that will leave me paralysed put the pillow over my head and finish me off.

Shryke · 27-06-2012 04:17PM

CL7 wrote: »

GastroBoy wrote: »

Just covering my ass there, assisted suicide as in just helping someone out without proper legal consent = illegal

Covering your ass? It isn't illegal to talk about it. I'm in favour of legalising assisted suicide.

I imagine he doesn't want the thread derailed by people splitting hairs, which is what you're doing.

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 04:19PM

Shryke wrote: »

I imagine he doesn't want the thread derailed by people splitting hairs, which is what you're doing.

Thank you.

tricky D · 27-06-2012 04:23PM

I'm currently dealing with what are very very likely the last days of my father. There's little doubt he has a very short while left. Last Wednesday night I was contemplating never bringing him to Beaumont again only to do exactly that 12 hours later as he was too weak to move at all. It's a cruel situation that's been going on for ages now, when ideally having him pass away sitting in the garden he loves, looking out over the Irish sea would be the best way to go. But you can't do that no matter that there's no more quality of life left. So instead, we have to watch him go through the cruelty, misery, pain when he just wants to finish with some dignity at home with the people who love him around. To have a means to legally facilitate this, like some end of life pill, would be manna from heaven (for want of a better phrase).

Duggy747 · 27-06-2012 04:26PM

All for it.

When my grandmother was diagnosed with alzheimer's my parents took her into our house.

She dwindled away to nothing as she rapidly got worse during the years. She was a big lady but by the time she died she was a skeleton and her brain was gloop; lights were on but nobody was home.

The mother her kid's knew died along time before her body did.

That's no way to end your life.

grey_so_what · 27-06-2012 04:27PM

tricky D wrote: »

I'm currently dealing with what are very very likely the last days of my father. There's little doubt he has a very short while left. Last Wednesday night I was contemplating never bringing him to Beaumont again only to do exactly that 12 hours later as he was too weak to move at all. It's a cruel situation that's been going on for ages now, when ideally having him pass away sitting in the garden he loves, looking out over the Irish sea would be the best way to go. But you can't do that no matter that there's no more quality of life left. So instead, we have to watch him go through the cruelty, misery, pain when he just wants to finish with some dignity at home with the people who love him around. To have a means to legally facilitate this, like some end of life pill, would be manna from heaven (for want of a better phrase).

My heart goes out to you tricky D.

Agree completely.

Thinking of you and your family.

GSW

CL7 · 27-06-2012 04:28PM

Shryke wrote: »

I imagine he doesn't want the thread derailed by people splitting hairs, which is what you're doing.

I wasn't my intention. I can be a literal thinker at times. Anyway back on topic:

If someone is suffering and they want to end their life I don't see why the state or anyone else should have a say in the matter.

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 04:29PM

tricky D wrote: »

I'm currently dealing with what are very very likely the last days of my father. There's little doubt he has a very short while left. Last Wednesday night I was contemplating never bringing him to Beaumont again only to do exactly that 12 hours later as he was too weak to move at all. It's a cruel situation that's been going on for ages now, when ideally having him pass away sitting in the garden he loves, looking out over the Irish sea would be the best way to go. But you can't do that no matter that there's no more quality of life left. So instead, we have to watch him go through the cruelty, misery, pain when he just wants to finish with some dignity at home with the people who love him around. To have a means to legally facilitate this, like some end of life pill, would be manna from heaven (for want of a better phrase).

I feel bad for you tricky
An awful situation, for all involved.

Stiffler2 · 27-06-2012 04:30PM

I think it should be allowed, however we still live in a backwards country where even abortion is not allowed so assisted death is deffo out the window for at least another century here.

I belive you can get it done in holland tho.

Splendour · 27-06-2012 04:36PM

GastroBoy wrote: »

I can see it a lot of of support for it over there.

I think in a country where abortion is legal they will have no choice but to legislate for assisted death/suicide.

shopaholic01 · 27-06-2012 04:45PM

tricky D wrote: »

I'm currently dealing with what are very very likely the last days of my father. There's little doubt he has a very short while left. Last Wednesday night I was contemplating never bringing him to Beaumont again only to do exactly that 12 hours later as he was too weak to move at all. It's a cruel situation that's been going on for ages now, when ideally having him pass away sitting in the garden he loves, looking out over the Irish sea would be the best way to go. But you can't do that no matter that there's no more quality of life left. So instead, we have to watch him go through the cruelty, misery, pain when he just wants to finish with some dignity at home with the people who love him around. To have a means to legally facilitate this, like some end of life pill, would be manna from heaven (for want of a better phrase).

Duggy747 wrote: »

All for it.

When my grandmother was diagnosed with alzheimer's my parents took her into our house.

She dwindled away to nothing as she rapidly got worse during the years. She was a big lady but by the time she died she was a skeleton and her brain was gloop; lights were on but nobody was home.

The mother her kid's knew died along time before her body did.

That's no way to end your life.

It's devastating watching someone you love disappear bit by bit. It must be difficult to post this too.

tricky D, I hope your dad finds peace soon, he is lucky to have his family around him.

Duggy747 - alzheimers is one of my worst fears - frightening for the patient in the early stages and heart breaking to watch the gradual decline and loss of the person, while the body continues functioning.

spatchco · 27-06-2012 04:51PM

think the only chance i have is that the living will,which i think is being talked about might some day give my self and other people the chance to make up there own minds .

token56 · 27-06-2012 04:54PM

As far as I'm concerned, just as a person has a right to live in a peaceful and dignified manner a person should also have the right to die in a peaceful and dignified manner where possible. There should be an alternative option to having a person and their family suffer as they slowly fade away if they so choose. Legislation obviously needs to change for this and it absolutely should.

27-06-2012 04:58PM

If an animal is sick or has little chance of a full life, we put them to sleep. Why can't human beings be given the same right?

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 05:04PM

Deleted User wrote: »

If an animal is sick or has little chance of a full life, we put them to sleep. Why can't human beings be given the same right?

While I agree with you to a certain extent, that's not a right that an animal has. That is a decision made for them.

Humans should be given the choice, and right, to end their own life only IMO.

If they can make it clear themselves that it is their choice, and not effected by other people's input, then they should be assisted.

Sarah_12 · 27-06-2012 05:05PM

I agree with it completely. I spent many years studying to be a nurse, although I found this was not my preferred career I saw people suffering everyday. Towards the end of life many people lose all enjoyment because they are suffering and in pain. I don't see why in this case it isn't legal. It should be a person's own choice and possibly in people who become mentally ill and cannot make that choice they could outline it in their will earlier in their lives, what they would want if this were to happen to them. I don' understand people being kept alive when they are suffering or also when they have no desire to be alive.

Many people go through their lives unhappy and miserable. Some lucky people can recover from mental illness or at least control it but others cant and never will. I really believe it should be a person's own choice whether they live or die once they can make a rational thought out decision about it!

cartell_best · 27-06-2012 05:08PM

Everyone has the right to decide their destiny. We all have the ultimate choice on to who or what holds the final decision. We probably all know someone that took their own lives and we either knew nothing or knew something but it never registered with us. I've seen a few people pass away and all I could do was stand back and watch. But some I stood back and watched, not knowing what was unfolding before my eyes.

We all have a choice. When it comes to dying and doing so and especially when it is within the limits of being "legal", I would not stand back and watch and continue to do so for someone that it hurts soo much for them to continue. Unfortunately, I cannot stand here and begin do differentiate between physical and mental pain, because everyone experiences pain in a much different way than each other. I do realise now that mental pain holds a par with physical pain....Nobody deserves to suffer and continue to do so because "man" made rules state who has a right to continue in pain or die in peace.

Brendog · 27-06-2012 05:08PM

I'm completely for it. If a person is terminally ill and would rather end their life than have to suffer and expire anyway, they should be allowed.

Pushtrak · 27-06-2012 05:10PM

Surprised how no one has voiced up against it. Sorry to disappoint but I'm not going to buck the trend. Think it should be the right of an individual to decide they want to give up existence.

Gurgle · 27-06-2012 05:12PM

Pushtrak wrote: »

Surprised how no one has voiced up against it.

I was just thinking that, in AH even if nobody was against it you'd expect someone to come in playing Devil's advocate.

Jame Gumb · 27-06-2012 05:15PM

What if a cure for the relevant disease or condition is subsequently discovered?

Trivial aside, but didn't this happen to Dr McCoy and his father in one of the later Star Trek movies (Bones helped his father to die and a cure was discovered shortly after).

GastroBoy · 27-06-2012 05:18PM

Gurgle wrote: »

I was just thinking that, in AH even if nobody was against it you'd expect someone to come in playing Devil's advocate.

Too right, didn't think it would be unanimously in favour...

Where do you stand on legalising assisted death?

Should assisted death be introduced in Ireland? 329 votes

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