The idea of assisted suicide has been thrown around a lot in the past decade or so. Everyone has a general idea of what it is but not where you go to get it. This is what we wanted to discuss more today. Assisted suicide is not a new concept. There are massive debates, panel discussions, even lobbying either for or against it.
Despite all of that, there are parts of the world that provide such services. For example:
California, USA
It was middle of last year that California passed their End of Life Option Act. Before you start packing your bags for California, be aware that their options are limited to those who are actual residents of California. They also require that anyone seeking their assisted suicide option must be of legal age and must have terminal illness.
Since the law being passed, there have been over a hundred voluntary deaths since January of this year.
Washington State, USA
Since being allowed to provide aid-in-death medication for those who seek it, many have gone to Washington State to obtain lethal doses of pain medication and other forms of medicine. A majority of those that have undergone assisted suicide in this state were mostly cancer patients and those that suffered with degenerative diseases like ALS.
Switzerland
As depicted in the film Suicide Tourist, this country would be an ideal place for anyone who was seeking release from their plights. As this film made a significant impact in the consciousness of the public, there were massive outcries for the banning of assisted suicide in Switzerland—especially for those that were not residents of the country.
It came to a vote and the call to ban assisted suicide was rejected by over 85% of all voters. It seems that Switzerland’s residents understood that those that decide to end their lives do not do so on a whim. Particularly since, the medical facilities there still try to treat the patient before agreeing to go forward with assisted suicide as requested by the patient.
Conclusion
Assisted suicide is a choice that must be made after significant information has been obtained. While knowing where to obtain such a service is important, it is even more critical for the afflicted and their loved ones to know information that would help them understand the decision on hand.
If you were to choose, where would you go for assisted suicide?