Assisted Suicide Essay

Kylie Brown
Period 1
English H
March 5, 2015

Should Assisted Suicide be legalized?
Every year in the United States, a little over one million people die of a terminal illness that they know will not be cured and they will die. Many of these desperate patients go through a long and traumatic experience that drains everything they have, emotionally and physically. While coming to the end of their life, they are in excruciating pain and there is nothing to do but sit and wait. In four states, Euthanasia is legal. These states include Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and New Mexico. Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease. Many people may argue that any type of Euthanasia interferers with God’s plan and is comparable to murder, but assisted suicide should be legalized because every person should have the right to die how they want, especially if they are terminally ill and in horrible physical pain. Legalizing Euthanasia would also save the money of continuing to give the patient medicine and treatment in order to keep them alive longer. Every person who is in such physical pain in which they know will not get better until they pass, has the right to go as they wish, and with dignity.
In 2014, terminally ill patient, Brittney Maynard, suffered with glioblastoma. After two surgeries that removed half of her temporal lobe of the brain, she learned that the cancer was back, and even worse. She would not only have just six months to live, but would have to live it in pain. Instead of letting this illness take what was left of the limited time she had, Maynard decided to do everything she possibly could with what she had left. When the pain would take over, her plan was to go how she pleased, using physician assisted suicide. According to the Dying with Dignity Act, around 1,000 people use assisted suicide as a way to end their life every year. Some people are not given this choice and the effect is that 300 people a year take their own lives often in secret and without support, because there is no possibility of assisted suicide. Because of these desperate actions, patients cause even more distress for themselves and their loved ones. Family members and medical providers can be deeply traumatized when someone who is suffering greatly begs for relief when none can be provided. As a compassionate society, we need to offer choices to individuals like Britney Maynard to end their suffering. Dying with Dignity also states that 300 people

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