Suicide. It is a horrible act that occurs every single day in our country. There have been no arguments that it should be legal since there is no benefit to someone committing suicide. Physician-assisted suicide, however, has a different story to tell. Only five states, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, California and Montana have legalized physician-assisted suicide either by state law or a court ruling. This leaves 45 states against this act. I, however, have a different perspective. After coming into contact with people from all walks of life with diseases I have formed my opinion that physician-assisted suicide, PAS, should be legal nationwide and this is why.
Brittany Maynard has a beautiful and inspiring story why PAS should be legal. The 29-year-old woman was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and after a long, hard battle chose to end her life with pills a doctor gave her. She was able to choose where she wanted to die and she was able to die in the arms of her loved ones. This is one of the reasons why PAS should be legal. So many times people have died at unexpected times with their family and friends far away. They were not able to witness their last moments and give them a fond memory to part with. Firstly, this is not fair to the loved ones. If they know the time when the patient is going to die, they will have final parting words that will ease their heart when the patient passes away. They will have one last chance to say everything they feel for that person and express the love they have for the sick person. More importantly, the last memories of the patient, without PAS, would be spent in a bleak hospital room without their loved ones with them. They would not have pleasant memories to die with. This should not be their final moments on this Earth.
In addition to being able to have the presence of loved ones with PAS, PAS is able to stop the unbearable pain that some feel every day when they are sickened with terminal diseases. It does not seem fair or right to spend your final days on Earth in pain without any good memories to part away with. Some patients cannot handle the intense hurt they feel in their bodies and know that they will die from their disease eventually. Without PAS, you are simply prolonging the pain that they will feel.
Although there are so many more reasons why PAS should be legal, comfort and happiness should be the feelings that the patient feels when they die. This may, and most likely will, involve dying in a place filled with so much love and warm memories. This may be the place you got married, your college, the place your baby was born and so many more options. You want great flashbacks with all of your loved ones to fill your mind when you pass away. Without PAS though, the only surroundings you will have are the walls of a cold and sad hospital room. This is not the setting most ill people would choose to have their lives end in.
These three reasons are only three of dozens of reasons why PAS should be legal. It is technically suicide, but it is not suicide that occurs because of hatred of life. It is suicide to end your happy life. With elections drawing near, PAS may see more positive actions in the future. For now, the only hope for terminally ill patients is to move to one of the five states that they can die happily in.
