Assisted Dying

[scottsdad]

As more countries implement, or consider implementing, assisted dying for terminally ill people, should Scotland so the same?

For me, yes. It should be an option. I have seen terminally ill relatives suffer and lose all quality of life with no option at all other than to just suffer. 

But for others there are counterarguments - the "slippery slope" that this would end up being extended to people with non-terminal illnesses, disabilities or mental health issues. 

In England this is back as a private member's bill. 

[Leith Green]

11 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

As more countries implement, or consider implementing, assisted dying for terminally ill people, should Scotland so the same?

For me, yes. It should be an option. I have seen terminally ill relatives suffer and lose all quality of life with no option at all other than to just suffer. 

But for others there are counterarguments - the "slippery slope" that this would end up being extended to people with non-terminal illnesses, disabilities or mental health issues. 

In England this is back as a private member's bill. 

It was already tabled up here via a Lib Dem MSP

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g5w299npjo

While it was going to be a free vote, the issue seems to have been that use of certain of the drugs required was reserved to Westminster (meaning that even a vote in favour wouldnt mean it could go ahead).

I suspect the Scot Gov is waiting til the Westminster one goes ahead to see how the land lies.

[Eednud]

We have Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia except for the Northern Territory which is ironic as the NT passed a law in 1995 allowing it. This was overruled by the Federal Government in 1997 as it has the power to override Territory, but not State, laws. VAD requirements vary from State to State.

https://www.eldac.com.au/Toolkits/End-of-Life-Law/Voluntary-Assisted-Dying/Overview

[BFTD]

Where was this proposal back in 2012, when we needed it most?

[Sergeant Wilson]

Do I get to choose who dies?

[Melanius Mullarkey]

1 hour ago, scottsdad said:

the "slippery slope"

YOu could just push folk down it I suppose. 

[alta-pete]

Better with a cliff edge IMO.

[Barry Ferguson's Hat]

It's bonkers that I can arrange the euthanasia of an old and unwanted pet, but not of my own parents.

Edited November 13 by Barry Ferguson's Hat

[Melanius Mullarkey]

35 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

Better with a cliff edge IMO.

Too late.

https://www.paradata.org.uk/people/clifford-edge

[Wee-Bey]

They're gonna make it legal to kill your gran.

[KnightswoodBear]

5 minutes ago, Wee-Bey said:

They're gonna make it mandatory to kill your gran.

ftfy

[Richey Edwards]

I have worked in healthcare for most of my working life. In that time I have worked with many people who were terminally ill and were basically waiting to die.

This sounds terrible, but I have often gone home after a shift and hoped that someone would be dead by the time I was back in work. Not because I actually wanted them to die, but because I wanted their suffering to end and death was the only way in which it would.

All quality of life has gone for these people. They are often in constant pain. They are often lying in their own urine and excrement. Why do we make people go through the whole process of dying from horrible terminal illnesses? Would it not be better and more humane to enable people to die on their own terms?

Of course there should be appropriate measures and safeguards in place to prevent the misuse of assisted dying, but it should definitely be implemented.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

13 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

I have worked in healthcare for most of my working life. In that time I have worked with many people who were terminally ill and were basically waiting to die.

This sounds terrible, but I have often gone home after a shift and hoped that someone would be dead by the time I was back in work. Not because I actually wanted them to die, but because I wanted their suffering to end and death was the only way in which it would.

All quality of life has gone for these people. They are often in constant pain. They are often lying in their own urine and excrement. Why do we make people go through the whole process of dying from horrible terminal illnesses? Would it not be better and more humane to enable people to die on their own terms?

Of course there should be appropriate measures and safeguards in place to prevent the misuse of assisted dying, but it should definitely be implemented.

I think that is key - as far as I am aware the proposed legislation also includes the ability to prosecute those suspected of coercion.

Another thing that the whole debate has exposed is the dreadfully patchy state of palliative care in the UK.

Irrespective of which way the vote goes this needs urgent action.

 

Edited November 13 by DeeTillEhDeh

[Suspect Device]

As long as the proper safeguards can be implemented, I would be firmly behind it. It's ridiculously that we can put an animal down who has no say in the matter but we are legally obliged to prolong a human being's suffering when they are begging us to end it.

 

Edit: Both myself and the wife have discussed it and are fully agreed to take the chance of a jail sentence if it comes to it. We are in the fortunate situation that we could afford the trip to Switzerland but that choice should not come down to who can afford it.

 

 

Edited November 13 by Suspect Device

[Eednud]

8 hours ago, Wee-Bey said:

They're gonna make it legal to kill your gran.

So will this mean ye can shove yer granny aff a bus?

[BucksburnDandy]

Also all in favour of this, provided the correct and appropriate safeguards are in place.

 

It's beyond my comprehension in 2024 that we prolong terminally ill people's suffering to the point where they are in constant, excruciating pain while lying in their own piss and shite.

 

I realise many are against this still and have valid reasons for doing so.

 

However it seems baffling to me to leave people in a position where they continue to suffer when it is kinder for them to die.

[DA Baracus]

There's no real arguments against this that stand up to scrutiny or aren't hysterical nonsense.

[Wee-Bey]

[JS_FFC]

I would support it only under the following circumstances:

 

1) The person is terminally ill and two doctors have assessed their remaining life expectancy as less than 6 months - I really don’t want to go down the route of Belgium or Netherlands where they have euthanised young, physically healthy people because of PTSD or other mental health conditions.

 

2) Two doctors have assessed that the person is of sound mind.

 

3) Doctors are not allowed to suggest euthanasia as an option, this is becoming a problem in Canada where people are presenting to GPs with symptoms of cancer for example and are immediately given a leaflet for the euthanasia clinic.

 

4) The person is physically capable of ending their own life either by taking a lethal drink or pressing a button in a chamber. I would hate to think of something changing their mind at the last second as a doctor gives them a lethal injection for example. 
 

I’m not sure if this is a route I would ever personally choose to go down, but tough to say that for certain without having been in that situation. I’ve not read the full bill word-for-word but from the snippets I’ve seen, I would be minded to support it if I was in Parliament.

 

I do however recognise the concerns of disability rights campaigners for example. When I was a young boy, my parents spent several years caring for my grandfather. Whilst they did it out of love for him, it put a massive amount of stress on their lives. I could quite easily foresee a situation where less caring people would pressure elderly relatives into choosing euthanasia. I’m not sure what the safeguard is against this.

 

So it’s a soft yes for me at the moment but I can see both sides of the argument.

[scottsdad]

18 minutes ago, JS_FFC said:

I would support it only under the following circumstances:

 

1) The person is terminally ill and two doctors have assessed their remaining life expectancy as less than 6 months - I really don’t want to go down the route of Belgium or Netherlands where they have euthanised young, physically healthy people because of PTSD or other mental health conditions.

 

2) Two doctors have assessed that the person is of sound mind.

 

3) Doctors are not allowed to suggest euthanasia as an option, this is becoming a problem in Canada where people are presenting to GPs with symptoms of cancer for example and are immediately given a leaflet for the euthanasia clinic.

 

4) The person is physically capable of ending their own life either by taking a lethal drink or pressing a button in a chamber. I would hate to think of something changing their mind at the last second as a doctor gives them a lethal injection for example. 
 

I’m not sure if this is a route I would ever personally choose to go down, but tough to say that for certain without having been in that situation. I’ve not read the full bill word-for-word but from the snippets I’ve seen, I would be minded to support it if I was in Parliament.

 

I do however recognise the concerns of disability rights campaigners for example. When I was a young boy, my parents spent several years caring for my grandfather. Whilst they did it out of love for him, it put a massive amount of stress on their lives. I could quite easily foresee a situation where less caring people would pressure elderly relatives into choosing euthanasia. I’m not sure what the safeguard is against this.

 

So it’s a soft yes for me at the moment but I can see both sides of the argument.

I'd agree except on part 4 - take someone with, say, MND or some other disease that affected their motor functions, at the very end of their life. You'd be denying them this option.