The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

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In her article “Assisted suicide tourism: a one-way trip with a whole lot of baggage”, Joan Ball questions the morality of assisted suicide and the legality of citizens traveling to international countries to die. According to Article 115 of the Swiss Federal Criminal Code (StGB) states that: “Whoever, from selfish motives, induces another person to commit suicide or aids him in it, shall be confined in the penitentiary for not over five years, or in the prison, provided that the suicide has either been completed or attempted.” This means that if any person or group that aids or convinces a person to commit suicide will be arrested. Currently the only countries that allow citizens from outside nations to come into the country to die are Switzerland and the Netherlands. Mexico has reports of the elderly flying…show more content…
Of course in each of these countries there are many steps that must be taken to obtain the prescription for the lethal medication. In the United States there are two states where Americans have the choice to end their life in a humane way, Washington and Oregon. In Washington and Oregon, even after the medication is obtained, the patient can chose a time to take it and chose to return the medicine if they change their mind. According to the Oregon Health Authority in 2013, 122 people received prescriptions for the lethal medication, pentobarbital, but only 71 people chose to take their lives. Pentobarbital is the drug of choice for patients that wish to end their lives. The medication causes respiratory failure and eventually death. In lethal doses pentobarbital puts a patient into a medically induced coma. Pentobarbital is also used as a sedative and controls convulsions in small doses. Pentobarbital has also been used in capital punishment on death row, since pentobarbital is easier to come by and is a cheaper alternative it now being used by most

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