Sunday, September 30, 2012

Death with Dignity act controversy


When you hear those words (Death with Dignity) what comes to your mind?, Well for me it was kind of shocking the first time i heard about it on TV. On the news they were explaining about the "right to die" everybody has and at which USA states are currently legal. The first state that became legal was at Oregon in the year of 1994 after a citizen initiated a referendum but it was not implemented until October of 1997 and in November 2008 became legal at Washington. The third state is Montana which became legal on December 2009. But for you that don't have an idea what i'am talking about the Death with Dignity act allows people who are terminally ill with 6 months or less to live to ask their doctors for a lethal medication. First the patient must make 2 verbal requests and 1 written request that is fully witnessed by two people, one of them can't be related to the patient. Then two physicians must evaluate the medical records and condition of the patient to make sure this person indeed has a terminally ill condition and is not depressed and acting voluntarily. Once a request has been made the physicians must wait 48 hours before writing a prescription. Usually the prescription are Nembutal or Seconal. Seconal compared to Nembutal it cost less money. Seconal comes in pill form and patients need to take 100 pills for a lethal dose. The pills are often opened and the powder dispensed in foods like pudding or applesauce... Nembutal is easier to take since it can be swallowed as a liquid; nearly 7 ounces is a lethal dose. The patient must administered the lethal medication themselves. Now that you have a brief information about this Death with Dignity act, will you consider it if you have a terminally ill condition?, Do you think everybody has the final decision to take their own life's if they are suffering more than enjoying life?. I have 2 opinions. First, If iam a religious person i wouldn't do it since my beliefs will be that only God can take our life's and anything else will be considered as a suicide. But my other opinion will be that God gave us "free will" to choose and based on that and also the person situation i think they can choose when to stop their pain and when to stop their suffering. If a family member tells me they want to die with "dignity" and i know they will not live for long i will respect their decision because is their option, is their last option. 

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