P07029

Formal Writing

Assisted suicide can be justified

If your mother or father has been working in a blue collar job scenario in order to support a family for a generation, then is diagnosed with an illness such as multiple sclerosis that will leave them in agony for the few years they have left, is it correct, with your and their consent, to give them a peaceful ending to the miraculous lives that they have lived? Assisted suicide can be justified in few rare occasions, but it is on those occasions that it is needed most.

Take Dr John Pollock for example. Last year he was diagnosed with Terminal Cancer. An incurable life threatening disease that would left him in distress for the rest of his life. He had lived a very successful life as a General Practitioner. In his career he saved hundreds of lives. And now that he has been diagnosed with Terminal cancer, he believed that his life was complete and was ready to depart from earth in a painless and humane manner. However Pollock was refused the power to decide his own fate as it is technically against the law. his entire family was in favour of his decision and were prepared to accept his wishes. When Pollock was refused assisted euthanasia, he appealed to New Zealand via the TV1 show Close Up. It was there that he made a plea to New Zealanders and the Government to legalize assisted euthanasia. During the interview with Close Up, Pollock quoted “I don’t really fancy the idea of becoming so emaciated, so withered, that my vital organs just stop working”. Pollock’s attempt failed and passed away on the 19^th September 2010. His family, however, has continued the fight to legalize assisted euthanasia and will keep persevering until their goal is reached.

Consistent polling in Britain shows that at present, 80% of the public want physician-assisted Suicide available to themselves in the circumstances where there lives have become unbearable without remedy. The Massey University Department of Marketing also constructed a survey between August and December 2008 that asked one thousand people if they believed they should be allowed, if a person has an incurable disease, to end there life if the person requests it. 70% said yes, 17% said no and 13% were unsure.  These statistics show that the majority of people in various locations are pro assisted euthanasia as long as it is done in a controlled and safe environment, with trained professional performing it.

There are 5 locations in the world of which assisted euthanasia is legal. These consist of The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the American states of Oregon and Washington. When legislation was introduced into Oregon the Supreme Court backed up Oregon in there attempt to legalize assisted suicide in there state. Under section 179 of the New Zealand Crimes Act, 1961, the act of assisted suicide is deemed illegal. The law is still in effect to this day.  However, there are many groups and organizations across the country including VESNZ (Voluntary Euthanasia Society) actively protest against the law, trying to over turn it.

Assisted suicide should be legalized even if it is highly restricted and comes with distinct terms and conditions. The main reason for this is to give people the option of being put to sleep in a humane way rather than suffering in pain and discomfort for the remaining length of their lives.