Assisted Suicide Persuasive Speech

I’m sure you’ve heard of the term assisted suicide. Well in Oregon, Washington, and Vermont they have the opportunity to participate in the Death with Dignity Act. It has been in place for over 10 years. It’s a way in which you take control of when and where you want to die. This gives anyone taking part in the act a sense of control and peace of mind. Not just anyone can do this though. You have to be 18 or older and a resident of these states. You also have to be capable of making health care decisions on your own, and you have to be diagnosed with an illness that is terminal and will lead to death within 6 months. It is proven that their family feels better about their loved ones dying on their own terms in a peaceful manner. It helps them

One question asked is, are the poor, undereducated, uninsured and other marginalized people encouraged to use the law? Actually, no one is encouraged to use the law. People who have chosen to use the law have been well educated, have had excellent health care, have had good insurance, have had access to hospice and have been well supported financially, emotionally and physically. Another question people have is are you allowed to move to Oregon, Washington, and Vermont to take advantage of the act? The law doesn’t prevent anyone from moving to these states , however reports show very few patients have moved to any of the these places to use the law. Unfortunately there is a time consuming process. The timeline starts with your first oral request to your physician, then a 15 day writing period, your second oral request to your physician, a written request to your physician, then there’s a 48 hour waiting period before you can pick up your prescribed medication. Some people wonder if assisted death is the same as euthanasia. No they are not the same because the patient chooses when and where they take the medicine, the physician does nothing but provides the medicine if you are eligible. Euthanasia generally means that the physician would act directly, for instance giving a lethal injection, to end the patient’s life. Not everyone who goes through the process and qualifies for it actually takes the medicine. Statistics say “Twenty-eight of the 122 patients who received Death with Dignity Act prescriptions during 2013 did not take the medications and subsequently died of other causes” (Oregon Public Health Division). People also wonder what kind of prescription the patient will receive; well it is up to the physician to determine the prescription. To date, most patients have received a prescription for an oral dosage of a barbiturate. A barbiturate is a sleep inducing drug.