LEGAL ASPECTS OF EUTHANASIA IN THE UNITED STATES

Despite euthanasia being illegal, doctors in five states in the United States are allowed to prescribe lethal medicine doses to terminally ill patients. It remains as one of the most controversial topics in the United States with regards to the aging populations in such states as Florida after euthanasia had been legalized in Oregon in 1997 and Washington and Vermont remodeling and approving the Oregon law. Approximately 230 terminally ill Americans died of the lethal medications prescribed by their doctors in 2013 alone(Bartels, Bauman, Cushman, Pizarro & McGraw, 2014). The legalization of euthanasia is becoming a very negotiating topic in many states after Oregon and is strengthening its position in the country. The two main advantages of legalization and execution of euthanasia are ending great physical and psychological illness and extending individual autonomy. The disadvantages or negatives of euthanasia can also lead to unintentional deaths as those suffering and do not wish to maybe killed anyway (Wald & Calhoun-Brown, 2014). There have been cases all over the world where patients were killed because doctors thought they were suffering. Although there are some legal and practical differences between legal types of ending one’s life- assisted suicide and euthanasia, there is no sufficient constitutional provision enough to hold active euthanasia in the united states., therefore, means that dynamic euthanasia legal regulation is a very complex issue that depends on a number of judicial interpretation and statute clarity.

Recommendations

Although euthanasia under such conditions of great pain that is untreatable can be adequately managed, euthanasia should be adequately controlled and monitored by addressing essential issues (Bartels, Bauman, Cushman, Pizarro & McGraw, 2014). The euthanasia request should be genuinely autonomous, well-informed and no other options available other than euthanasia itself. It is also very imperative that consultant doctors are independent of doctors that treat to avoid potential abuse (Emanuel, Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Uwin & Cohen, 2016). A physician-assisted suicide that is supported and done by autonomy must be conscious and voluntary and not even the family, a family member or guardian of the patient should abuse this.

While there is no right to die for any reason whatsoever, no one should, on the other hand, be forced, even legally, to suffer. Many reasons would make one want to end their life such as diseases, mental illnesses, and old age, but when a person makes the decision, it should be done to ensure the person dies with dignity. With no right to a dignified death, people are legally being forced to suffer great pains, and they might, therefore, resort to extreme solutions such as self-suicide at home or in a hospital. Self-suicide should be considered anutmost possibility in the worst scenario (Wald & Calhoun-Brown, 2014). An option to avoid being legally forced to suffer great pains until the point of death is passive euthanasia. Passive euthanasia refusal of treatment practically shortens life and is allowed in such countries as Switzerland where patients can travel to obtain euthanasia or assisted death legally.

There is, therefore, no reason to prohibit euthanasia when patients can travel to Oregon or other countries around the world where it is legal to obtain it (Emanuel, Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Uwin & Cohen, 2016). The development of medicine is fast-growing and prohibition or legalization of euthanasia will be a topic of less significance. But until a drug is invented that helps terminally sick or old people to live without suffering, legalization of euthanasia should be considered.

References

Bartels, D., Bauman, C., Cushman, F., Pizarro, D., & McGraw, A. P. (2014). Moral judgment and decision making.

Emanuel, E. J., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Urwin, J. W., & Cohen, J. (2016). Attitudes and practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Jama, 316(1), 79–90.

Wald, K. D., & Calhoun-Brown, A. (2014). Religion and politics in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield.