Over the years, most of what I have known about assisted suicide has come from what the media presented. After scanning a few articles and books in hopes of obtaining creditable sources, I found myself intrigued at what I did not know about assisted suicide. First of all, I did not know the term for assisted suicide is called euthanasia. Second, I did not know there were several different forms of euthanasia. Third, I wasn’t really aware of what the laws are regarding this hotly debated topic. Through reviewing some of the history of this topic and being exposed to the different viewpoints and laws about euthanasia, my stance has changed. To legalize assisted suicide would give more control to the physician who accepts the responsibility and less control to the patient who is requesting death; therefore, society must not legalize physician assisted suicide.

According to Webster’s New Twentieth Century Unabridged Dictionary, euthanasia is an act or method of causing death painlessly, so as to end suffering. Even with this definition, I found more lies beneath. The many sides to euthanasia extend far

doctors refrain from using an artificial respirator to keep alive a terminally ill

Also, there is a great potential for abuse if euthanasia were to be legalized. Depressed people, elderly people, and very frightened people would be greatly affected. People may feel pressured into giving up. The elderly people are at great risk to falling

b) passive euthanasia involves not doing something to prevent death, as when

reasons, as when a doctor administers a lethal dose of medication to a patient;

mentally competent to make and informed request to die, such as a comatose

Some topics in this essay:
Association’s January, Suicide Prevention, Institute Ethics, Suicide Legalized, Letting Die”, Opinion Polls, Post Courier, Unabridged Dictionary, , assisted suicide, Cong Rec, physician assisted, terminally ill, nov 2002, physician assisted suicide, 14 nov 2002, 14 nov, public opinion polls, hendin 1998, legalization euthanasia, “killing vs, vs letting, “euthanasia” encarta online, post courier, webster’s twentieth century,