Assisted Suicide

This article starts out by describing an old woman by the name of Bernice Packford. She has made the decision for herself that she would like to end her life because of fear of miserably dying from a stroke. She wants to do it legally with her doctor. The article then goes on to describe the difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia. Assisted suicide is at the patients discretion and action, while euthanasia is done by the doctor. There is a bill in Canada, C-384 that may legalize assisted suicide. However, there are many sides to the issue that need to be accounted for. The bill requires patients to have a legitimate reason for wanting to die, such as terminal illness or severe pain. The article brings up an interesting point, "Among the most disturbing is that anyone who becomes a burden on others would feel obligated to contemplate suicide as a justifiable option." It would be terrible if someone felt this way and decided to kill themselves based on what other people think.

"Our stake in this life and death decision." Maclean's 123.11/12 (2010): 6. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Apr. 2010.

This article talks about how because suicide is not morally right, the thought of even considering assisted suicide should not be taken lightly. The author of this article believes that when considering assisted suicide, one should look at a set of criteria to determine whether or not it is a good idea. There is some evidence that may lead people to believe that assisted suicide might lead to involuntary euthanasia.

Lesser, Harry. "Should it be legal to assist suicide?." Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 16.2 (2010): 330-334.Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Apr. 2010.