Assisted Suicides Soar in Switzerland

[Angel4Truth]

Assisted Suicides Soar in Switzerland

Assisted suicides increased by more than a quarter in just one year in Switzerland, according to newly released figures.

There were 742 cases of assisted suicide in 2014, up 26 per cent on the previous year.

There has been a steady rise in the country which has seen a 250 per cent increase in assisted suicides since 2009.

Depression

In 2014, over 20 people who were helped to die were reported to have had depression.

Assisted suicide has been allowed to take place in Switzerland since 1942.

Last month, a Swiss nursing home was ordered by the Federal Court to allow the practice to take place on its premises.
Conflict

The Christian-run home, which belongs to The Salvation Army, had previously contested a Swiss law that allows assisted suicide to take place in charitable institutions, if requested by a patient.

They said that it conflicted with their religious beliefs and violated their freedom of conscience.

However, federal judges rejected their complaint and said the law allows individuals to decide how and when they want to die.
‘Gift from God’

Last year at Westminster, an assisted suicide Bill for England and Wales was heaviliy defeated by MPs in the House of Commons by 330 votes to 118.

Conservative MP Caroline Spelman said in the debate: “Life is a gift from God with all it entails”.

She highlighted the “increasing secularisation of society” as a cause behind older people “feeling a burden”.

Are you for or against assisted suicide, and why?

If for, what conditions do you advocate it being ok, any and all, or only some?

 

[Angel4Truth]

‘Deep sadness’ after assisted suicide legalised in Colorado

Critics have expressed their serious concern after assisted suicide was legalised in the US state of Colorado.

The “Colorado End of Life Options Act” was passed by 65 per cent to 35 per cent in a public vote, allowing citizens over the age of 18 access to lethal drugs.

It follows in the footsteps of Washington, Oregon, California, and Vermont.

‘No safeguards’

Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, said: “People have been inundated with the message that this is about freedom, that this is about my autonomy, that there will be safeguards in place, when the fact is when you look at the reality, none of that is true.”

Schadenberg added: “If you have a medical condition you don’t have to speak to a specialist, you don’t have to, in any way, receive an opportunity to get the information that might change your mind” about assisted suicide.

Under the Colorado law, the person making the request must be deemed to be in the final stages of a terminal illness by two doctors before they are allowed to self-administer lethal drugs.

Mark Edlund, executive director of the Colorado Baptist Convention, said: “Sadly our state receives national recognition for the legalization of marijuana, same-sex marriage, and legalization of abortion. Now we add to that physician-assisted suicide.”
Oregon

Assisted suicide has been legal for terminally ill patients in Oregon since 1997.

Since the law was passed, 991 people have had medical assistance to commit suicide.

According to the Oregon Public Health Division, there has been an average rise of 12 per cent each year in the number of prescriptions written for lethal drugs.

In 2015, 132 people died by assisted suicide – up from 105 the previous year.

 

[Crucible]

Humans are the only beings in nature who commit suicide, which makes it all the more disturbing. It also makes human's unique in that some can have the sort of despair that would desire one to end their life.

It's natural that one should be against suicide.

I find it acceptable only if death is imminent- the last minute, hour, or day depending on the circumstance. People have some major conundrums about dignity and sanctity of life, but as far as I'm concerned it's indignant for someone's last bit of time be agonizing pain- and if one really thought about it well enough the sanctity of life is not violated in this regard.

 

[Tambora]

I'm not sure how to take the stats.
If there are more assisted suicides since it became legal, it could be because folks chose that route instead of slicing their wrist open or putting a gun in their mouth.
As horrible as suicide is, I would rather find a loved one that commits suicide to have done it that way rather than me find them soaking in their own blood and brains.

 

[Angel4Truth]

]I'm not sure how to take the stats.[/B]

I wonder how many of those medically assisted ones, weren't really the patients choice?

 

[MrDante]

Schadenberg added: “If you have a medical condition you don’t have to speak to a specialist,

This is simply not true.

The COlorado law states: "25-48-106. Attending physician responsibilities. (1) THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN SHALL:

...

(d) REFER THE INDIVIDUAL TO A CONSULTING PHYSICIAN FOR MEDICAL CONFIRMATION OF THE
DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS AND FOR A DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL IS
MENTALLY CAPABLE, IS MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION, AND ACTING VOLUNTARILY;[/quote]


The law cleaerly states that: "“CONSULTING PHYSICIAN” MEANS A PHYSICIAN WHO IS QUALIFIED BY SPECIALTY.


so yes individuals requesting assisted suicide domeet with a specialist.

you don’t have to, in any way, receive an opportunity to get the information that might change your mind” about assisted suicide.

Also untrue.

Again the law states that the attending physician must:

"(e) PROVIDE FULL, INDIVIDUAL-CENTERED DISCLOSURES TO ENSURE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS
MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION BY DISCUSSING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL:
(I) HIS OR HER MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS OF SIX MONTHS OR LESS;
(II) THE FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES OR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING
COMFORT CARE, PALLIATIVE CARE, HOSPICE CARE, AND PAIN CONTROL;
(III) THE POTENTIAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TAKING THE MEDICAL AID-IN-DYING MEDICATION TO
BE PRESCRIBED;
(IV) THE PROBABLE RESULT OF TAKING THE MEDICAL AID-IN-DYING MEDICATION TO BE
PRESCRIBED."

 

[glassjester]

Are you for or against assisted suicide, and why?

100% Against.


When somebody's out on a ledge, you talk them down. You don't stand there, yelling, "Jump!"

 

[glassjester]

(II) THE FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES OR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING
COMFORT CARE, PALLIATIVE CARE, HOSPICE CARE, AND PAIN CONTROL;

And what happens when, eventually (and inevitably) insurance will only cover the most "cost effective solution" ? A suicide pill will always be cheaper than a morphine drip.

 

[shagster01]

I voted in favor of the new Colorado law. It is only for terminally ill people with 6 months or less to live and must be approved by two different doctors. I'm ok with that. If it was just for anyone who, on a whim, wanted to die I'd have said no. But it is inhumane to force people to suffer against their will. Usually the alternative is to drug them up beyond functionality to releave the pain anyway. That's not living.

I always thought it odd that if your dog was suffering from terminal illness the humane thing to do is put him down. But if a human is suffering, is of sound mind, and wants to die the humane thing is to force them to stick it out and suffer through it. This law changes that.

 

[shagster01]

And what happens when, eventually (and inevitably) insurance will only cover the most "cost effective solution" ? A suicide pill will always be cheaper than a morphine drip.

You'll still be free to stick it out if you want.

Is living doped up on morphine more desirable or much better than death to you?

 

[shagster01]

100% Against.


When somebody's out on a ledge, you talk them down. You don't stand there, yelling, "Jump!"

The Colorado law isn't for people out on a ledge. It's for people that are going to die soon from sufferable illness anyway.

 

[glassjester]

The Colorado law isn't for people out on a ledge. It's for people that are going to die soon from sufferable illness anyway.

"Out on a ledge" is figurative.

 

[shagster01]

"Out on a ledge" is figurative.

If you are speaking figuratively, then you should view these people as having fallen from the ledge already. They are terminally ill and going to die soon anyway with or without the pill.

 

[serpentdove]

Are you for or against assisted suicide, and why?

Against it (Ge 9:6). If I have to live here (1 Jn 2:15), :reals: you have to live here (Ro 8:23).

 

[glassjester]

I voted in favor of the new Colorado law. It is only for terminally ill people with 6 months or less to live and must be approved by two different doctors. I'm ok with that. If it was just for anyone who, on a whim, wanted to die I'd have said no.

It starts that way. But what happens when somebody with 10 months to live sues the state for the "right to die" ?

Or if someone isn't terminally ill, but in a lot of pain? It'll happen. Did you read the OP? That had to start somewhere, right? Probably with a law not unlike Colorado's.

But it is inhumane to force people to suffer against their will. Usually the alternative is to drug them up beyond functionality to releave the pain anyway.

How much suffering is too much? And how much time left is too little? And why should any human being or government have the right to decide?

That's not living.

Nor is suicide.

I always thought it odd that if your dog was suffering from terminal illness the humane thing to do is put him down. But if a human is suffering, is of sound mind, and wants to die the humane thing is to force them to stick it out and suffer through it. This law changes that.

We do a lot of things to animals, that would not be fit to do to a human, don't we?

And let's be honest here. We don't put dogs down to be humane. We do it out of convenience.

 

[glassjester]

If you are speaking figuratively, then you should view these people as having fallen from the ledge already. They are terminally ill and going to die soon anyway with or without the pill.

If a guy's falling off a hundred-story building and you put a bullet in his head as he passes the first-floor window - you're still a murderer.

 

[glassjester]

If you are speaking figuratively, then you should view these people as having fallen from the ledge already. They are terminally ill and going to die soon anyway with or without the pill.

Besides, we're all terminal, aren't we?

 

[Angel4Truth]

In 2014, over 20 people who were helped to die were reported to have had depression.

Let that sink in.

 

[shagster01]

If a guy's falling off a hundred-story building and you put a bullet in his head as he passes the first-floor window - you're still a murderer.

What do you call the person that unplugs the ventilator?

 

[glassjester]

What do you call the person that unplugs the ventilator?

There's a fundamental difference between removing an artificial life support, and purposely administering a lethal agent to intentionally kill a man.