Euthanasia and Assisted suicide In November 1994 general election, Oregon voters approved one of the most controversial vote measures in that state’s history. With fifty-one percent in favor and forty-nine percent opposed, Measure sixteen was passed, establishing the Oregon Death with Dignity act. Oregon is one of very few places around the world where the terminally ill can legally choose to end their lives. The subject of euthanasia is complex. This issue is important to me because all men have the right to be treated as a person until the last moment. People who support assisted suicide believe they are being compassionate. Assisted suicide is not an answer to the problems it seeks to address; …show more content…
It comes down to watching someone suffer unbearable pain, or spending every time they have just to stay alive. Medicine and the law are the principal institutions that maintain respect for human life in a secular, pluralistic society. The debate over euthanasia can be confusing because the term itself can be defined and categorized in different ways. Voluntary euthanasia is performed at the patient’s requested and with his or her consent. Involuntary euthanasia is the killing of a patient without such consent and possibly against his or her wishes. Today’s euthanasia debate has been influenced by both classic debates on the value of human life and modern medical developments. The debate over euthanasia often centers around the so-called slippery slope argument. This argument holds that permitting one behavior or outcomes. Opponents of euthanasia argue that if it is legalized in some circumstances, it will eventually be applied to other situations as well. Some people argue that individuals should not be allowed to choose euthanasia because it would be harmful to both society and medical profession. Euthanasia cannot be simply a matter of personal choice, because it would destroy one of the most important foundations of society, a prohibition on