Euthanasia Devalues Human Life

“Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient to limit the patient’s suffering. The patient in question would typically be terminally ill or experiencing great pain and suffering. The word “euthanasia” itself comes from the Greek words “eu” (good) and “thanatos” (death). The idea is that instead of condemning someone to a slow, painful, and undignified death, euthanasia would allow the patient to experience a relatively good death.”

The technical definition of euthanasia is the act of ending life painlessly, often someone suffering from an incurable illness. However it is impossible for any life to end free from pain. The actual killing may be peaceful, but the suffering endured throughout the disease will never be forgotten and the heartbreak felt by the family due to the untimely death of a loved one will live on forever. Euthanasia is an extremely controversial issue dividing professionals in both the medical and legal fields. Some argue that individuals have a right to die and death is a choice. Those against euthanasia argue that, “Death occurs because a fatal pathological condition is allowed to take its natural course, not because those who have removed life support intended to kill the patient. Rather, their intention is to stop doing something useless or to stop imposing a burden on the patient.” (Yount 23)

The Netherlands, Belgium, and the Northern Territories in Australia are among some of the countries that recognize Euthanasia as legal. In the Netherlands, euthanasia accounts for over five percent of the nations deaths (“Facts and Statistics on Eutanasia”1). In 1997, the United States Supreme Court passed the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon, which stated that physician assisted suicide is ...

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... more efficient and safe ways to prevent more intense suffering. The minds of those committing suicide are often insane, therefore those making the decision to euthanize are not in the proper mental state. Euthanasia is also not completely safe and effective. In many cases complications occur such as vomiting and intense muscle spasms. Also in a significant number of cases the drugs provided did not result in the desired outcome, meaning then the physician has to inject other fatal concoctions by hand, breaking their Hippocratic Oath. If euthanasia becomes completely legal it will allow a price to be placed on human life, and provide the mentally ill with a legal outlet to give into their disease. Even though a life stolen by euthanasia is supposedly painless, the pain endured by a premature death will live on in the hearts of their loved ones forever.