New Assisted Dying Bill...

[naomi24]

...just published 'could stop horrific deaths' campaigners say.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cx2nyrr0w7rt

 

//Under the bill, adults with less than six months to live would be given the right to end their own life - a doctor could prepare the substance, but the person themselves would take the final act//

 

That needs a re-think.  There are many who, because of the condition they're suffering from, are physically unable to take the final act. 

 

Your thoughts - and are you for or against?

[naomi24]

Thanks YMB.

[THECORBYLOON]

The legislation is at a very early stage and proposed amendments can be made and debated in the Commons and the House of Lords over the coming months.

For example, one of the current clauses states the person wanting to die has to sign a declaration but what if that is not physically possible?

 

[naomi24]

DDIL, //it doesn't go far enough imo.//

 

What do you mean?  How far would you like it to go?

[Old_Geezer]

Well judges presently seem to have nothing better to do, so get involved.

Plus, why would you need to have x months projected life left, if life is proving intolerant to you ? Whose life is it to reject anyway ? Obviously the insane become a difficult area to manage. Should you force them to stay if they hate it ?

[ToraToraTora]

stock answer:

Every time this comes up I say the same thing. The cases cited are valid and they should be allowed. The problem is that the law will inevitably get misused. Pretty soon the right to die becomes the obligation to die. Then you’ll get unscrupulous relatives marching granny up to the death factory to nick her house. Framing a law that works for this is very difficult.

[ToraToraTora]

untitled: "the person should be the one to finally do it. or else there is too much capacity for some truly horrible fraud" - absolutely, we tend to not imagine that people are nasty but believe me there will be psychos out there that will see this as an opportunity.

[ToraToraTora]

dave50: "If someone wants to die for whatever reason, it's up to them. Nothing to do with anyone else. Why do people get so upset with others who want to end their lives?" - that's available now, countless methods of suicide but this is about assistance for those that can't and that is where the issues arise.

[ToraToraTora]

YMB's link illustrated perfectly what will happen:

initially permitted only terminally ill Canadians to be eligible for the procedure. But in 2019, a Quebec judge ruled that restricting access to those who had a “reasonably foreseeable death” was unconstitutional, forcing federal lawmakers to amend and expand the existing laws.

Scope creep, bit by bit, soon they'll be selling extermination gift cards for xmas.

[douglas9401]

I'm for, without question.

To be in the no camp just looks like controlling behaviour.

[tomus42]

I'm for it. Even given the problem you mention if the bill passes it's a good thing.

[jourdain2]

My very dear brother-in-law died last August Bank Holiday (2023) aged 69.  He died of what has now been proved to be asbestosis - legal claim for industrial injury is taking forever and probate was only granted about 6 weeks ago.  His wife and son are in huge debt trying to keep their garage running until monies and properties are cleared and bills can be paid.

His final 2 weeks were horrific.  The problem lies with lack of pain control. and palliative care. This can be laid firmly at the NHS's reaction to the Shipman case.  Before then, family doctors would 'ease' passings quietly. (Yes, I know this for a fact, it was humane.)

Now, my sister was too terrified to give B-in-L any extra morphine when he was crying and pleading for it.  He  begged his brother to 'finish him off' - he didn't dare either and still torments himself.  This was all in the last fortnight.

Her view - and I concur - is that assisted dying should be allowed in the last 2 or 3 weeks of life, if the situations are similar i.e. umbearable pain and then it should be limited to adequate pain relief.

Any other leeway is open to horrible abuse.