Let them Die Peacefully

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Recommended: The debate surrounding euthanasia

Have you ever been forced to watch someone that you love dearly fall victim to a terminal illness that diminishes their quality of life a bit more with each day that passes? The illness not only wreaks havoc on the person who is suffering from it, but it also destroys the life of the caregiver. As cruel as it may sound, sometimes the best option is the termination of the poor life that is withering away.
According to Merriam-Webster euthanasia can be defined as “the act or practice of killing hopelessly sick or injured individuals […] in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy”. Don’t allow yourself to confuse euthanasia with Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS), there is in fact a slight difference. Physician-Assisted Suicide is considered to be “far easier emotionally for the physician” according to the article “What is the Difference Between Assisted Dying and Euthanasia?” The reasoning behind the articles claim is the simple fact that the physician only provides the lethal substance for the patient; euthanasia differs in the fact that the physician actually administers the lethal substance via intravenous distribution. "State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide – Euthanasia” reports that euthanasia is illegal in all fifty states, but Physician-Assisted Suicide is legal in four: Montana, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. It is the duty of the physician to make sure that their patient is cared for and comforted to the best of their abilities. With that being said, in the case of terminally ill patients, the option to a peaceful death by the means of euthanasia is one that should be available.
With most terminal illnesses the end of the journey is an excruciatingly painful one both emotionally and physically,...

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...://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/euthanasia>. Nitschke, Dr. Philip, and The Opinions Expressed in This Commentary Are Solely Those of Dr. Philip
Nitschke. "Euthanasia: Hope You Never Need It, but Be Glad the Option Is There." CNN. Cable
News Network, 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
.
"State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide - Euthanasia - ProCon.org." ProConorg
Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
.
"What Is the Difference Between Assisted Dying and Euthanasia?" The World Federation of Right to Die
Societies. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
between-assisted-dying-and-euthanasia>.

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