Many teminally ill people are dealing with unbearable suffering, and can do nothing but attempt to .
Most people want to live their life with dignity, and die with dignity. People live their lives .
the way they choose to. They make important choices and decisions throughout their life. Some of these .
decisions are very difficult, life changing decisions. We live in a democratic society where we can be free .
to make these decisions. Death is an inevitable event that we all must experience. Death can be .
unexpected or even planned. It can be quick or it can be prolonged. Some people become severely ill or .
have devastating physical problems to endure. They have a constitutional right to refuse treatment. Most .
patients have a great trust in their doctor to help them cope with their illness. Often decisions are made .
for extraordinary treatment and medication to prolong life and lessen suffering. Other times, decisions are .
made to refuse life sustaining treatment . Some people may choose not to suffer with unbearable pain. .
They may not want to live a life that has no meaning. As their suffering increases, their dignity decreases. .
A person should have the freedom of choice to end their life if they are mentally competent to do so. A .
patient should be allowed to end their life with dignity. Physicians should be allowed to assist in ending the .
life of a terminally ill, mentally competent person and therefore, physician assisted suicide should be .
legalized. .
Some opponents say that assisted suicide is unconstitutional, and refer to the 14th amendment to .
the Constitution. It states "that no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due .
process of law"(Rein 118). This is called the Due Process Clause of the Constitution. "In 1997, the U.S. .
Supreme Court upheld that "the liberty" protected by the Due Process Clause does not include a right to .
commit suicide, which itself includes a right to assistance in doing so"(Rein 121).
