To what extent do you think assisted suicide should be a legally available option to those who want to end their lives?
In Switzerland, anyone who assists a person to commit suicide is not punishable unless they do so for vested reasons. The relevant article in the Criminal Code paved the way for assisted suicide in the 1940s.
Today, more than 1,000 terminally ill patients or people suffering from other severe conditions receive such assistance to end their lives every year.
To what extent do you think assisted suicide should be a legally available option to those who want to end their lives? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you or a loved one is experiencing mental health struggles involving thoughts of suicide, help is available within Switzerland by calling the number 143. International resources can be found hereExternal link.
From the article Why assisted suicide is ‘normal’ in Switzerland
I am an elderly person from Venezuela who wants assisted suicide to be included in our legislation on the elderly. That it allows us to decide about our lives, without requiring a terminal illness, because we are in the terminal phase of our lives.
Soy un anciano de Venezuela que desea se incluya el suicidio asistido en nuestra legislación sobre los ancianos. Que senos permita decidir sobre nuestra vida,sin que sea requisito una enfermedad terminal, por estar nosotros en la fase terminal de nuestra vida.
“From 2023, Canada will be one of the few countries that allow physician-assisted suicide for the mentally ill.” This is no longer accurate, the Canadian government has postponed it until an indefinite later date. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maid-delay-solely-mental-illness-1.6734686
"Ab 2023 wird Kanada eines der wenigen Länder sein, die den ärztlich assistierten Suizid für psychisch Kranke erlauben." Dies ist nicht mehr korrekt, die kanadische Regierung hat diese auf einen unbestimmten späteren Zeitpunkt verschoben. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maid-delay-solely-mental-illness-1.6734686
Suicide is a crime against all humanity, killing himself and putting an end to his life by himself. It is an act forbidden by all heavenly and earthly religions. Allah Almighty has granted human beings the grace of life and has ordered him to use his life in the service of humanity, in study, education, scientific research and others in order to benefit humans, not commit suicide and deprive humanity and humanity from these great acts.
Allah says in his dear book: “Do not kill yourself. Allah has mercy on you.”
الانتحار هو جريمةٌ في حقّ الإنسانيّة جمعاء، أن يَقتُل الشخص نفسَه، و يَضَعَ حدّاً لِحياته بِنفسِه، فِعلَةٌ تُحرِّمُها جميع الأديان السماويّة و الأرضيّة. الله تعالى قد مَنَح لبني البشر نِعمةَ الحياة، و أمَره باستغلال مُدّة عمره في خدمة الإنسانيّة، في الدراسة و التعليم و البحوث العلميّة و غيرها كي ينْفَع البشر، لا أنْ ينتحِر و يحرم الإنسانيّة و البشريّة من هذه الأعمال الجليلة.
قال الله تعالى في كتابه العزيز :( وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا ).
I am 40 years old. I have experienced an unpleasant situation in my life and I am unable to forget it. I have been treated a lot but nothing has changed. I would have liked to live like other girls, but I failed and got so desperate that I lost everything in my life.
أنا عمري 40 سنة، ولقد تعرضت لموقف مزعج في حياتي ولست قادرة على نسيانه. أعالج كثيرا لكن لم يتغيّر شيء. كان بودي أن أعيش مثل باقي البنات لكنني فشلت ويئست لدرجة أنني خسرت كل شيء بحياتي.
Death is the only constant truth that many fear for the foolish belief that they are immortal. Life is when it does not benefit and does not enjoy it better to leave it - any benefit from months or years in which one is unable to get happiness. You refuse to help those who are tired of life because there are no reasons to continue it. * Do you want to say: “Kill yourself, and I will do so and you who are guilty.” As someone told me?
الموت هو الحقيقة الوحيدة الثابتة التي يخشاها العديد للاعتقاد الأبله بأنهم خالدون. الحياة حينما لا تفيد ولا تمتع الافضل مغادرتها - اي فائدة من اشهر ام سنوات يكون المرء عاجزا فيها عن الحصول على سعادة. ترفضون مساعدة من سئم الحياة لانعدام المبررات لمواصلتها * هل ترغبون القول: "اقتل نفسك بنفسك، ولسوف أفعل ذلك أنا وانتم المذنبون.." كما قاله لي أحدهم؟...
Euthanasia is nothing but suicide. And if someone else can decide on behalf of the person, this is murder.
You can whitewash this anyway you like. Its suicide or murder. Nothing else.
I think that defending the right to commit suicide and granting the right to assist suicide are two different matters.
Basically, I believe that the right to commit suicide should be defended because I doubt that others have the right to prevent others from committing suicide. I think it is unfair to deny the right to suicide on the grounds that uncontrolled suicide disrupts society or that it is difficult to distinguish between disguised suicide and suicide.
On the other hand, euthanasia requires assisted suicide in most cases, and it would be extremely difficult for an aider and abettor to determine whether or not a suicide is the result of a voluntary decision by a person who wishes to commit suicide. For this reason, I believe that extremely strict criteria are needed in the exercise of the right of aiding and abetting.
Considering these points, I believe that the Swiss operation is a necessary and sufficient standard of operation.
自殺する権利を擁護することと自殺を幇助する権利を付与することはまた別の事柄だと思う。
基本的に自殺させない権利が他者にあるとすることに疑問を感じることから、自殺する権利は擁護されるべきであると思う。無秩序な自殺が社会を混乱させるとか、偽装された自殺との分界が困難であるとか、そういうことは自殺権否定の根拠としては不当であると思う。
一方で、安楽死においてはほとんどの場合自殺幇助が必要であるが、自殺希望者の自発的な意志決定の結果であるのかどうかを幇助者が判定することが極めて困難であると思われる。そのことから、幇助権の行使においては、極めて厳密な基準が必要と思う。
これらの点を考慮して、スイスでの運用は必要かつ十分な運用基準になっていると思う。
I also want euthanasia for those reasons, because sometimes the things I want to learn and do in my life are lost early on.
自分の人生において学びたいこと、やりたいことが早い段階で無くなることもあるので、そういった理由での安楽死も欲しいです。
I have a lung disease and there is no hope for a cure.
Every day he is on oxygen, and when he moves a little, he feels like he is dying from suffocation, but he can't die.
I have to live on a bed for a long time, suffering for years.
It is a living hell.
If there were euthanasia, there would be hope for life.
I beg you, please make euthanasia available in Japan.
I have also joined the petition that was done on other sites.
I hope that society will move.
肺疾患を持っていて、治る見込みはありません。
毎日酸素をつけながら、少し動くと息苦しくて死にそうなのに死ねない。
ずっとずっとベットの上で、何年も苦しみながら生きなくてはいけない辛さ。
生き地獄です。
安楽死があれば、生きることに希望が持てる。
お願いだから、日本でも安楽死できるようにしてほしいです。
他のサイトでやっていた署名にも参加してきました。
社会が動きますように。
I think we should respect the idea that life is worth living.
On the other hand, we should also respect the idea that we do not value life.
Human beings are diverse, and depending on heredity, environment, and other factors, they may have completely different ideas and values.
Therefore, it is futile to try to persuade them, and I feel that simply accepting a foreigner as a foreigner is respect for diversity.
The same is true for euthanasia. But there is no need to deny it.
It should exist as a human option.
However, when I think of the difficulty of convincing such "stubborn naysayers" to accept euthanasia in reality, I feel as if I am losing my mind.
生きることに価値を感じるという考えは尊重すべきだと思う。
逆に、価値を感じないという考えもまた尊重するべきだと思う。
人間は多様であって、遺伝、環境その他によって考えも価値観も全く異なる場合がある。
故に相手を説き伏せるような行いは不毛であり、異物を異物のままにただ受け入れることが多様性の尊重であると感じる。
安楽死についてもまた同じで、賛成する人々に共感する必要は無い。しかしことさら否定する必要もない。
ただ人間の選択肢として存在するべきものではないだろうか。
ただ、現実的に安楽死制度を実現するにあたってはその様な「頑なな否定派」を説き伏せねばならない事を思うと、その困難さに気が遠くなりそうだ。
I am an admin for an FB group called "Legalise Euthanasia" I deal with virtually hundreds of cases where sufferers are seeking Euthanasia..Primarily Assisted Euthanasia... and have prepared myself with self Euthanasia equipment so that when the time comes (and it will) I can exit peacefully, without pain and reliably, using a modified inert gas method laid out by Exit International. My three brothers have died badly in palliative care suffering from various age-related ills including dementia, Alzheimer's, and diabeties1. Blindness and loss of physical control etc. AT 90+ I can feel the depreciation of dementia already in my daily life now. I do not wish to die in the same fashion but under today's laws and restrictions, I must allow others to disallow my death. Bureaucrats, indoctrinated from birth by religious tenets. must permit me to die. As I will not be able to afford to use the Swiss system I am precluded from any suicidal action regardless of my age and infirmity. I sincerely hope that when their time comes the people involved in this terrible statutory restriction will die in agony and without dignity or hope. Their death will not be mourned. In the meantime I will proceed against their current rulings and die when I choose. I shall be inconvenienced but will be free of their involvement.
I believe that there is an aspect of life in which one feels happiness, but I also believe that there is an aspect of inner growth through suffering and enjoyment. I myself experienced years of despair, such as not going to school, but I believe that my experiences in those years have led me to where I am today. I understand that there are those who have no choice but to choose euthanasia, but I am saddened to think that if there is something enjoyable in life, even if only a little, such as family, friends, or hobbies, they will be deeply moved when time goes by.
人生は幸せを感じるという面もあるとは思いますが、苦しいことや楽しいことを通じての内面の成長という所もあると思います。自分自身も不登校など絶望を何年も味わいましたがその中での経験が今の自分につながっているのだと思います。安楽死を選ばざるを得ない方がいるのもわからなくはないですが、家族や友人、趣味などほんの少しでも何かの楽しいことがあるのなら時間が経った時には感慨深いのではないかと思い悲しく思います。
I am a young Japanese who has lived less than half of the average life expectancy. I am in favor of euthanasia because I believe that if there is a system of euthanasia, there will be more people like me who will be able to die at any time and will be able to stay alive for the time being. People are fragile and vulnerable, especially those in their teens and twenties, and many of them suffer from relationships and give up their own lives.
私はまだ若い日本人です。まだ平均寿命の半分以下の人生しか歩んでいません｡でもそんな若造の私は安楽死に賛成です｡私は安楽死の制度があればいつでも死ねると思いひとまず今は生きてみようと踏みとどまれる私のような人が増えると思うからです。人は脆く弱いです｡特に10代や20代の人たちは人間関係に悩み苦しみ自ら命を捨てる人も多いです｡そんな人たちの逃げ道として、最後の希望として安楽死は絶対に必要だと私は強く感じました｡
I have had eosinophilic gastroenteritis, an incurable disease with little chance of cure, since I was 11 years old.
I once thought of dying. But then I thought. What is the purpose of my life? What am I going to do if I die? They call it euthanasia, but will it be easy if I die? That is all I want to say.
私は好酸球性胃腸炎という治る確率が低い、難病に11歳から患っています。
私も一度は死ぬことも考えました。ですが思ったんです。自分は何のために生きているんだと。死んでどうするんだと。安楽死といっていますが、死んだら楽になるんでしょうか？私が言いたいのはただそれだけです。
I believe that we should be able to make our own decisions about how to settle our lives. Of course, we are not allowed to make rash decisions. However, I want the hope that dying will free me from suffering.
人生の決着は自分で決める事ができても良いのではないかと思います。もちろん軽率な判断は許されるものではありません。しかしながら死ぬ事で苦しみから解放されるという希望が欲しいのです。
I am under observation for colon cancer. When I was first informed of my cancer, I was troubled by the thought of death. Many followers on Twitter helped me to stop myself from committing suicide.
Four years have passed since I was informed. Even now, if I could choose euthanasia, I would do so. Because the right to die is a right that I have with my life. It is a fundamental right that neither politics nor religion can intervene.
大腸癌で経過観察中です。癌を告知された当初は死について考え悩みました。多くのTwitterのfollowerに助けられて自死は思い止まりました。
告知から4年が過ぎました。今でも安楽死を選択出来るのであれば選択するでしょう。何故ならば死ぬ権利は私自身が生と共に持ち得る権利なのだから。政治も宗教も介在できない基本的権利ですから。
I am a Japanese born in Japan. In Japan, suicide is a more common cause of death among young people than cancer or disease.
I am in favor of the euthanasia system. I am in favor of the euthanasia system because I believe that young people who commit suicide can have the peace of mind that they can die at any time with the option of "euthanasia".
Suicide is a dead end, a final destination for those who have been driven to a corner. If the end point of death was euthanasia with a signpost, whether near or far, rather than the dark place of suicide, I think there would be a certain number of people who would try to live a little longer.
私は日本生まれの日本人です。日本では、若者の死因は癌や病気よりも自殺が多いです。
私は安楽死制度に賛成します。何故なら、自殺をした若者も『安楽死』という選択肢により、何時でも安楽死出来るという心の余裕が持てると思っているからです。
自殺は詰まるところ心が追い詰められた最終的に行き着く、行き止まりの死の終着点です。死の終着点がもしも自殺という先の真っ暗な場所よりも、近くか遠くかは分からずとも道標のある安楽死ならば、もう少し生きてみようと思う人も一定数いたと思うのです。
My greatest fear is that I should become mentally incompetent and have to be cared for by others. If I know that I am going to lose it mentally I want to be able to check out pleasantly before it is too late for me to decide.
every person should decide for themselves with the help of specialized medical staff.
No easy answers but I believe that it is up to the person suffering to decide what he/she wants to do with his/her life. The last thing these people need are to encounter road blocks and more financial stress.
Join the conversation!