Living and dying is a process that every single human being experiences. Life flows from one day to the next until the inevitability of death catches up with each and every life on this planet. The question is, does an individual have the right to take hold of this process and end their own life early, free from the suffering and pain that sometimes follows? The answer is yes, a person should have the right to end their suffering in life through the process of Physician- Assisted suicide. Physician-Assisted suicide, also known as Euthanasia is the act of ending an individual’s life through the prescription overdose of medication. This procedure is practiced worldwide in countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Mexico, The Netherlands, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, and the United States (Terri Shiavo, Facts about Euthanasia). Though the United States is listed, Physician-Assisted suicide is only legal in the states of Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Vermont. In the US euthanasia is performed by using the drugs Secobarbital (9g) or Pentobarbital (10g). The physician would have the patient take anti-nausea medication, then empty the capsules of either of these drugs into a juice or other liquid substance and drink that on an empty stomach, the process of actually dying after this ingestion can take anywhere from nine minutes to twenty-eight house depending on how fast the body actually absorbs the mixture (Jennifer Fass, Andrea Fass, Medscape). The consumption of these medications lead to a virtually fast and painless death compared to the long suffering a patient of say terminal cancer would have to endure. As Patsy Bradbury wife of Kristen Bradbury, a man from England who had recently been diagnosed with a bowel cancer that soon spread to his brain, said “He never said he was ever actually in pain, but I still knew exactly at which point he wanted to die.” This man was denied the use of Euthanasia as it is illegal in his part of Europe and soon attempted suicide a frightening thirteen times, showing that whether or not Euthanasia is an option people will chose what they want to do with their lives (Kristen Bradbury, Dignity in Dying). Another benefit euthanasia holds is the extreme cheapness compared to living out the rest of ones days under constant medical attention. Physician Assisted Suicide can cost as little as thirty-five dollars in states such as Oregon (Economic aspects of Euthanasia). This compared to an uncountable amount that would be spent on treatment and care of say a terminal cancer patient is a huge load off of an individual who is struggling with the idea of death. This cheaper solution also takes the burden of medical expenses off family members after the unfortunate demise of their loved one. Many suffering with a terminal illness wish to take the amount of money left to be paid off after their death away from loved ones, euthanasia is an easy solution to this. One may argue that that act of Physical Assisted Suicide is against the Hippocratic Oath, the oath doctors must take before being allowed to preform medicine, which states, “I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan."

Being written sometime before 460 and 380 B.C. it’s no surprise the Hippocratic oath is so outdated (Hippocrates, Hippocratic Oath). Also doctors often administer lethal drugs to patients in comas or patients that have been brain dead at their own request to put them out of their misery, it’s the same idea with euthanasia, the patient is absolutely going to die in the near future, so why let them suffer? Another counter argument to Euthanasia is that it is “ungodly” to take a life before it is naturally taken, but isn’t it equally as ungodly to take antibiotics or have open heart surgery? If the people weren’t allowed to use modern medicine because it is “ungodly” and “unnatural” then the population would be much, much lower than it is today. Another point in the “ungodly” argument is the fact that church and state were separated a long time ago, therefore laws concerning someone’s medical rights should have absolutely nothing to do with religion. In conclusion, while many may see euthanasia in a dark light and consider it ungodly or selfish Physician Assisted Suicide is a very beneficial choice for patients suffering from chronic illness. As it is a very personal choice there is no reason any type of cooperation or law should have the right to dictate an individual’s decision to end their life. Their life, their choice. 

                                                           Sources                                                                                           Schiavo, Terri. "Facts About Euthanasia." Facts About Euthanasia. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. ? Fass, Jennifer, and Andrea Fass. "Physician Assisted Suicide." Medscape. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. ? "Economic Aspects of Euthanasia." Economic Aspects of Euthanasia. The Life Resources Charitable Trust, n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. ? Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 20 May 2015. ? Bradbuy, Kristen. "Dignity in Dying." Dignity in Dying RSS2. N.p., 21 Nov. 2014. Web. 20 May 2015. Gwen Jones 2* Gwen Jones 2* Gwen Jones 2* Gwen Jones 2* Gwen Jones 2*