Yes, if there is no other way to stop the pain and the person is bed ridden, if the individual choose to end his life so be it!

I do not believe you should end your life for anything other than medical reasons that cannot be overcome. In the case of incurable illness I definitely believe in ending the suffering. It should be a person's right to do so with medical assistance.

definitely, death is final, at least make it your choice to not suffer unnecessarily for who knows how long, waiting for a miracle that won't come ,, quality of life way over longevity

If there are no chance of recovery

Definitely not - as an ex palliative care nurse my belief is euthanasia is open to corruption by government and families who do not have the best interest of the person at heart. I have seen too many situations that convince me beyond any argument that may be in favour of euthanasia

Suicide is just that. If you believe in karma then it maybe this life that they have to experience intense pain so that they can evolve. If you don't believe in karma then no one has the right to take the life of someone else. I know doctors deny doing it, but I know that they do it. Everyone has their view and we have to live with the consequences of our choice.

To right. lf people are inconstant pain or terminally ill, why make them suffer. We say it's humane to put an animal to sleep to stop it's suffering but we have to carry on, WHY? We should have quality of life not quantity

Yes, if the pain is unbearable and there are no medical ìntervention are available to help the pain

They already do this my increasing the morphine until the patient passes away. This is if they are on life support. But I agree with stopping suffering if the patient has no out

Doctors have their own way of increasing the morphine so much that people die - that is the best way to eliminate unnecessary pain.

Definitely

As sad as it would be to let someone go in this situation, it would be much more sad to watch them suffer in pain...

Only if they are terminally ill because no one should have to suffer in pain physically and emotionally.

Yes. Should. If I can't bear the pain anymore.

Definitely.

DO THINK ABOUT DEATH A FEW TMES A DAY, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.

Yes for terminal or incurable illnesses by the proper medical experts … if you were a pet most people will give you a peaceful and painless ending to your life Edited 05-Oct-21 18:31pm

Sadness

Oh definitely. But it needs to be on a case by case basis. Not just someone going through a dark period of their life. I would only hope permission was given to terminally ill patients, although i am sure that other non-terminal illness cases would possibly be acceptable, but like i said, it would have to be on a case by case basis. My Nan used to say to me that she would have loved to have a dignified option to choose to die when she was ready. (She was terminally ill and constantly doped up on pain killers during her final months.)

Absolutely yes. Many many years ago doctors did it as an act of mercy but cannot nowadays. People should be able to include in their will or power of attorney the right to end their life when unfortunate circumstances exist.

With the correct controls in place, assisted suicide should be available.

End of life is an extremely dramatic and very dangerous right to be given to another person. Especially when it is very often these same people that deny their patients the right to treatments that they have very often requested, required and been denied. This is not a situation of freedom of choice but more than likely a denial.

But what if the Government/hospitals/aged care facilities make the decision that you are not viable anymore (disabled, can't speak, dementia, coma) and decides to not listen to anyone who might advocate for you (like family or medical treatment decision maker)???? You will be euthanised and you may not consent or want to die!!!!!

Yes we should have that right, it has just become legal in Western Australia, inspired of strong opposition from some Church groups, I believe that it is up to me, When time comes, and not some right wing conservative groups

Yes!! If the lack of quality of life is overwhelming. I do NOT wish to continue living if there is no quality, nothing but pain!

Absolutely not, we are made in the image of God it is a tragic lie that life is meaningless, and a waste of God s gift of life.????????

No, I don't think so. I have depression, and yes, at times i have thought of suicide, but i really thought about it hard enough that i said to myself why should I have to think about all the loved ones hard ake they will have to deal with and life is so short. I have had three operations in my back when I was 24 years old, and believe me I was in agony with three months in hospital, each operation that is and now I'm 62 years old i still have bad pain just the other day. I felt down on the floor landed straight on my back. I thought i was going to have another operation, and i will not go through it all again. Me and my wife after 39 years of marriage, are now separated , so please, however, is out there thinking of it please strengthen your strength and live longer? I beg of you good luck!!!! Edited 05-Oct-21 17:51pm

yes

Yes, my body and when the time comes that I have no longer any quality of life, I would like my children if necessary to be able to make the decision on my behalf. If I am of sound mind, I will make the decision myself.

yes our body our life. if we are suffering and can't be cured we should be able to end it.

If people are determined to end their lives, for whatever reason, they will do it anyway. Why not make it available to them via legitimate medical avenues.

I have no issues with people using Voluntary Assisted Dying. As a retired clinical nurse, I have seen some awful deaths. For myself? I am not sure I could do this but if I was that ill, I would like the option

Yes. If it is humane to put a pet down so they don't suffer, why can't humans have the same choice?

YES a little selfish on those left But your choice

Yes certainly - the only problem being is that Doctors are trained to save lives not to take a life away - it definitely is a hard one for them.

I had a family friend die like this in Canada. He said good bye to his family and friends the way he wanted too. This is being debated here as we wait for the red or green light. I do hope it is a green light. It takes away peoples pain and stops them suffering. Why wouldn't we want that for any body. They can go with dignity and not be curled up in a fetal position not being able to dress or feed them selves. Not knowing their family or even who they are and where they are. It could be so simple but no we have politicians deciding for us when we can die or not as if they have a right too.

YES

All you mortals are going to die eventually but why make it harder on yourselves...there is always an easier way out.

Pets are put down & they can't talk to decide...as adults we can talk & assisting to end a life in pain is a personal choice & should be honoured.

For sure,pets are put down when theres no hope and ive watched people slowly die doped to the eyeballs in pain,they just want it to end

Not sure that i want to answer that question

Yes they should it also has to be approved by 2 doctors

Firstly having been there and watching people scream in agony the members of the so called caring profession saying no more pain relief it will hurt you to me at least means suffer till you can take no more and your heart gives out. If that is what Palatine Care is I do not want a bar of it and never will.

Yes we should have the right to end our life if wish this.

Definitely

Yes I will be happy to have option to make this decision, to prevent suffering for me and my family and also wasting tax payers money.

agree with Romac there are numerous drugs today which alleviiate pain for terminal illness' I spent a wonderful afternoon with a very old friend who new she was dying but was in no pain died peacefully 2 weeks later I am 90 and know I have not much longer at the moment apart from 2 wobbly knees enjoying life as much as I can and hope they give me the drugs when the time comes

If think if the medical opinion is that what little life a patient has will be in unmanageable pain, they should certainly have the option of ending their own life. We don't allow our pets to got through the same suffering.

Totally against it. Yes people are suffering but only God decides when we go. I was told there are 4 things in life we cannot control. The day we were born,the day we die,time and the weather. Everything else we can.

Yes

Yes life has not been good to me just living is a straggle to me now would not what to die yet but you can not live forever I just hopeing there is some good in this life and the next .god please help people to be happy and strong

Recently we had a family member who was terminally ill. The Palliative Care Team at the Hospice told us that "Today there is no pain we cannot alleviate". We believed them and our family member died peacefully and in no pain. We do not believe in legalised "Mercy Killing" and most certainly not simply because someone wants to die. There are extremely effective anti-Depression Mediations today, They do not make you feel like a walking zombie if you take them strictly as directed. Just as with those who gave been diagnosed with Bi-Polar if they take their meds as instructed they remain "level" (I don't know the correct term), they feel well and that is where the problem comes in, They think they are feeling well, balanced so they stop taking their medication and then the problems begin all over again. This also applies to people on anti-depressives. The thing is to take your medication as directed and to stay on it. You can, of course, ask your Treating Doctors if you can come off it under supervision to see how you are progressing but this should only be done on advice and never just because your are "Feeling Better, so I will stop".

I don’t think it’s right to expect the medical profession to take lives. It must be a voluntary action and a meat packer could prolly do the job just as well. It can never be a right to have someone do it for you, do it yourself…just stop eating and 3 weeks later….history

Yes. And there is this option only in Switzerland clinic. Only condition person has to be able drink the last drink on his own.

Yes

No

The law should be there for those who truly need to end their pain. However, it should only be their wish nobody else's. If you are strong enough to make that decision without pressure then its your right. Doctors and other medical people should be absolutely sure it is your wish before they assist with your death.

I believe a person has the right to end his or her life in some circumstances, be it terminally ill, or a debilitating muscle or joint condition, then absolutely they should have the right to self terminate, but for the depressed or uninterested, they should seek treatment and possible medication, hell California along with 20 other states legalized weed, ( lol )

If it’s to do with religion or a god, your god must be one cruel inhuman person. No one should be treated worse than an animal. Your imprisoned/find for mistreating an animal.

Depends, people with chronic illness but depression is iffy, a lot of people can get better and will not feel depressed their whole life. Imagine killing someone because they are sad

Very good topic. Will be discussed for many years. From a legal perspective it has to do with what is known as the hypocritical oath. This makes it very difficult to choose because of this. Called the thought of doing all that can be done to preserve life. From a personal perspective, I believe this is a personal decision. If someone has something that will never be cured with today's technology, and the person chooses to leave this existence it should be their choice. Lastly throwing a cog in the wheel of this situation, I was once told by a person which at least made me oonder. Just suppose you had a person in extreme pain, with no chance of ever getting better. The doctor helps, and the next day that illness was found to be cured. As time marches on.

It is all individual.

definitely, they are not enjoying life anymore and for the family it is so painful to see them suffering

If they are in so much pain and have no chance of surviving the option should be there for them. I watched my Mum and I will never forget how much agony and pain she was in. She just wanted to be out of pain.

I don't! It is a crime. I strictly believe in the right of God who gives/owns lives to take it away in His own due time. palliative care is the best moral answer or alternative

Absolutely, I witness first hand a love one dying of Cancer. The pain she went through in the last 6 months of her life was so bad she was begging to die. She battles Cancer for over 7 years and should have been given the chance to end her life before she was made to suffer all that pain. We don't let animals go through that much pain why should we be made too.

I spent many years working as a Palliative Care nurse and in Aged Care situations as an RN. Assisted suicide is a normal part of end of life care for some and terminal sedation is a practice that has been practised for many years. I remember an incident in a public hospital I worked in, and we were warned not to discuss it, but it was more than a decade ago. An elderly man had very bad frontal lobe or Dewy Body Dementia. He was being cared for at home because he had been previously admitted to other Nursing homes in and around this area, but due to him flinging his fists around and utterly refusing personal care because he no longer understood what these strangers were doing to him, his physical health was suffering and they wouldn't have him back again. He wasn't getting nutrition, hydration and as he was doubly incontinent he was getting bad excoriation on his privates and the pain from this was causing more negative behaviour. He would refuse tablets and spit them out if the nurse DID manage to get them in his mouth and consequently he wasn't even getting the antipsychotics and calmatives he needed so he could recieve adequate care. So we have a human being who is just a mere shell of who he was, and that was an absolute creep as we remembered him from long ago, who's family could no longer cope, were out of resources and had ZERO other options for care. So the decision was made with his specialists, local GP and family to bring him into the hospital for terminal sedation. We were NOT obliged to care for him and we had the option to refuse to give the medication that would take him away from this earthly plane of existence. From my recollection it took about 72 hours for his heart to stop. He hadn't been the man he was for some time and his family had already grieved that loss some time ago. All there was now was relief and thankfulness that neither would suffer any longer. I'd be interested if anybody has a suggestion as to how THEY might have managed this situation if THEY had been this man's family. I suffer pain all the time and sometimes it's so bad that I wish it was all over. Nobody has the right to tell me that my suffering isn't bad enough to warrant me thinking of a permanent way out. I take painkillers but you become used to them after some time and the efficacy reduces. But people should be able to choose to end their lives on their own terms and we show animals that kindness. Why NOT humans who are suffering?

I THINK IF YOU HAVE AN ILLNESS THAT IS TERMINAL YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ASSISTED DIEING THERE ARE FORMS YOU CAN HAVE WHICH MAKES IT LEGAL TO HAVE AND YOU ARE OF AN OLDER AGE BOTH MY MOTHER AND MYSELF HAVE THIS IN PLACEEdited 05-Oct-21 07:57am

Yes.

Yes, because i think that everyone has the right to die in the way that they want rather than society saying wether they can or not

I don't know......depends on the pain a person is dealing with.

I completely support euthanasia. Quality over quantity. There needs to be strict protocols in place, however, to ensure that people are not doing it for the wrong reasons, are fully informed and are of sound mind etc. It’s incredibly hard to watch someone die in pain and distress. If some of that can be avoided by allowing these people to have a choice, then it should definitely be supported.

Yes I agree

I agree that people who have a terminal illness and who are in pain and wish to hasten the end, should have the right to choose. I am in two minds about non terminal illnesses where treatment and quality of life can be restored. I feel that it is a very personal thing and so after counselling so all options have been thoroughly explored, then a person should have the right to decide what is best for them. I survived - not by choice, numerous severe episodes of depression. I wanted/needed the suffering to end. With the right intervention, I was able to turn my life around and find peace and happiness. I am so glad I made it out the other side. I could not see that it would ever happen. I know only too well the intense emotional turmoil and would not want to live through that again. I am grateful that I eventually found a way through the darkness but I also appreciate how hard it is for many to battle on.

Yes, so long as safeguards are in place to ensure they are not doing it for wrong reasons, such as family pressure etc.

YES, we dont let animals suffer in pain, we put them to sleep. So why as humans that can speak, we dont have the right to end our lives, if we are suffering in pain. If it just depression you are talking about, then No.

Yep

Most definitely YES!

Only people living in incredible pain.

I'll let you know in a few months, watching a friend go through all of this is so hard.

my views changed after I had watched several relatives and friends have miserable deaths

I have been taught that it is wrong to end your life. If I was suffering so much endless pain I would wish to die but assisted to die would make me go back to my belief and teachings. As we get older most of us suffer ill health of some sort. Not easy but the idea to end ones life would be scary.

Absolutely I believe in not only assisted death by a Doctor, but by anyone you feel close to. That includes them providing the wherewithal for you to use when you deem appropriate. The strictures against this are due to religion, and control of our lives by the church to keep the money coming in!

People who live with incredible pain and will die from what ever is causing this pain then yes if that is their wish. We have a genetic disease in our family that my grandmother died from, my mother died from and my sister is dying from. She is now in incredible pain her body has to be flushed out every two weeks. She has been suffering with this for quite a few years now with it getting worse every year. It is so sad to see her in this terrible pain she had told me she wants to move on. It is her wish, they cannot restore her health so she should be allowed to.

Yes. However how can you be sure it is their decision?

My partner has Sarcoidosis and COPD (which I think was caused by 38 years in the foundry industry but try proving that to ACC!). Part of his right lung has been removed, surgery being the only option. So do I agree? 100% yes. Watching someone deteriorate into the living dead at home takes a toll on everyone. He has already given the green light for euthanasia when legalised.

Yes

I believe its quality of life not quantity of life.

I think that people have the right to choose if they want to stay live or be dead.

Yes

Cared for my Grandad, who was given, and basically got, 3 months to live, after a diagnosis of stomach cancer. He also had very unstable angina, and had not been able to swallow his heart meds - some 30_ odd pills a day - for 4 days. Learned more about him, and nursing care, in that 3 months than in 20 odd years I'd known him, and 4 years of nursing training! He wanted to die at home, and he got his wish. He was awake and aware at the end, didn't want to let go, for fear that no one would be able to cope with Gran - who was in the throes of dementia. That worry was plain to read on his face. I told him, gently but firmly that he was in no position to have to worry about that. He smiled a smile of relief and resignation, looked at us all one by one (Mum, Dad, Gran, Nique (pet dog) and me) and, I prayed with him then. He said (mouthed, really), Amen and had a small heart flutter. His son, Dad, was lying on the bed next to him, hand on Granda's heart. I held his hand right through that, and came to the precipice with him... then he stepped off, and was gone. THAT was a "good death". Just as nature and God intended it to be for him and us, really. I fully realise that every situation, every dying person, has their own story, strengths and fears, especially now, with family, (a lot of the time), not physically able to be with family members who are dying, covid or no. As does just about everyone's, my heart goes out to people involved in any similar situation. There are situations too, where the death is not as gentle as Grampa's death, too. (again, every situation is different). But, the Hippocratic Oath is to first, do no harm. A doctor's work is to facilitate life, not death. Dying is the very final act of life everyone of us will experience at some point. No one knows when this will be for ourself, or essentially how it will be, (some exceptions, maybe, sure). None of us know how much we can endure, until we endure it. We put animals - pets - down because we can, when the necessity arises, to end their suffering. But we are higher beings than our cats, dogs, goldfish, parrots, horses. We can, and do, understand that suffering is also part of life. It shows others and ourselves our fears, weaknesses and strengths; sometimes during suffering is the only time we show our true self. I'm a Christian, but I realise that not every one has this as a reasoning chip to deal with on this issue. Some Christians are able to reconcile their Christian beliefs with the support of euthanasia, I'm obviously not of that persuasion. We are higher than animals, but we have an awful track record of devolving into animalistic behaviours when confronted with 'difficult' or 'inconvenient' situations. We do like to take the 'easy way' out. So from a worldly perspective, you may just want to end your old aunt Maybelline's suffering, but Cuzon Wally over there, he just needs his share of her fortune to help him pay his debts.... Edited 05-Oct-21 01:36am

I'm very happy it has come in my state people campaigned for years took forever to make it legal.i watched family members pass away from cancer who was in pain right to the end.i lost my son's to suicide and to live with major depression for years the medication is a band aid the pain is still there and the numbness you endure every day is horrific when life has no meaning anymore .now I've been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and a large goiter diabetes and cpod when I get to the point I can't breathe and if the cancer spreads I will be looking into dying with assistance .I know that way I'll die with dignity and machines and tubes won't be keeping me alive.

I lost my sister to suicide. Very painful and permeates through your entire life. On the other hand if a person is suffering it should be their choice.

Having seen my mother takes 16 years to die in pain and misery - I would not wish that on my worst enemy.

I have a medical directive in place that covers medical issues - in the event I am hospitalized: I am not to be kept alive by medication, I am not to be kept alive by having tubes in my body, I am not to be kept alive if I have been declared clinically brain dead, or have no comprehension of my surroundings in a hospital (or nursing home), etc. Furthermore, my medical directive is kept up-to-date by my attorney on a yearly basis - after we chat. Your second question "people that are so depressed that they want to die......." - my personal belief system on this matter (if you are at least 21) - You have the RIGHT to commit suicide - PERIOD - without leaving any (written) explanations WHY you commit suicide.Edited 05-Oct-21 15:54pm

I honestly don't know. The thought of losing my loved ones is too painful. I lost someone very close to suicide. I have family members who believe in it, but I am not sure. I also think that it could be used by unscrupulous people preying on the elderly and/or chronically unwell.

Yes...we sometimes seem more concerned about our pets than other people

It has to be the very last option and the doctors has to approve. I met someone last year who was in a coma for 2 years and just woke up one day and the doctors wasn't sure if she would but the family never lost hope. It will always be tough choice but the patient should have the last say if possible.

All my family have died from cancer. Some had terrible ends so yes I agree if this is their wish. We put our animals to sleep if they are suffering yet we allow our loved ones to suffer endlessly. Some in nursing homes just lying in a bed and no comprehension of their surroundings would be another reason. However, I think there has to be a panel of people, doctors, family, solicitors and most not known to the family or the patient who look at the circumstances otherwise I think this could be open to abuse.

Only if medically justifiable.