Jordan ChiapponeStenseth

English 1302

LEGALIZING EUTHANASIA: JUSTICE FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL

WHAT IS EUTHANASIA?• The act of assisting in suicide of a terminally ill individual

according to their wishes.

• Generally carried out by a health care professional by injecting an overdose of medication, or administering medication in such a way that is fatal.

Legalization of Euthanasia

• Legalizing euthanasia has many benefits for the

country and will provide justice for the

terminally ill.

• Economically positive

• Increases quality of life

• Honors a dying person’s wishes

ECONOMICALLY POSITIVE

• Euthanasia will help reduce the financial burden that is left to the families of the terminally ill patients.

• Will help decrease the country’s healthcare deficit related to the medical care of a dying person

In 2008, the United States government spent over fifty billion dollars on physician and hospital bills during the last two months of patients’ lives (CBSnews).

STATISTICSNinety percent of terminally ill patients report that they would rather die at home than at a hospital or nursing home (Leonard)

Increasing Quality of LifeAs an individual begins to age, there are many fears that cross their minds:• Burdening loved ones• Being kept alive on machines• Fear of living in pain

With the option of assisted suicide available, one would be able to live their life without the constant fear of having to

live in pain or burdening their family.

• It has been shown in the states that euthanasia has been legalized, that end-of-life care has improved (Campbell).

• More people are using hospice care, understanding that euthanasia is an option if they decide their pain is not relieved.

WORKS CITED

Campbell, S. Courtney. "Ten Years of “Death with Dignity”." The New Atlantis (2008).

<http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/ten-years-of-death-with-dignity>.

CBS News. "The Cost of Dying." 2009. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-cost-of-dying/>.

CNN Money. "Can you inherit your dead parent's debts?" 19 June 2014. CNN News.

<http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/19/pf/inherited-debt-adult-children/>.

Leonard, Kimberly. "Study: End-Of-Life Plans Are Rare, Driving Up Costs - and Suffering."

U.S. News 13 September 2014.

<http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/09/23/study-end-of-life-plans-are-rare-

driving-up-costs-and-suffering>.

Pickert, Kate. "A Brief History of Assisted Suicide." Time 3 March 2009.

<http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1882684,00.html>.

Schneider, Keith. "Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dies at 83; A Doctor Who Helped End Lives." New York

Times 3 June 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/us/04kevorkian.html?_r=0>.

Static Brain Research Institute. "Euthanasia Statistics." 18 March 2015. Statistic Brain.

<http://www.statisticbrain.com/euthanasia-statistics/>.