Imagine what it would be like to be in an excruciating amount of pain, knowing death is approaching, but having to sit in a bed and just wait?  Physician assisted suicide is one of the most controversial topics of today.  America is known as the "land of the free", however it is illegal in almost every state for a person to have the option, when terminally ill or not, to die. In America a person has the right to vote, to own land, to bare arms and to obtain an education. However, if that person is lying in a hospital bed terminally ill, suffering with an extreme amount of pain, he or she has to wait until death ends that suffering. This controversial issue has been argued for years, and it is time for change to be made.  In order to allow for a freer choice nation as well as less suffering for some of the people in that nation, all fifty states should legalize assisted suicide.  

Physician assisted suicide is a topic that many people have differing opinions on.  The word "suicide" is almost always viewed as a negative word.  Assisted suicide, however, has the ability to change this belief.  People who feel that physician assisted suicide shouldn't be legal use their religious values and beliefs to oppose the idea. People also believe that assisted suicide may degrade doctor patient relationships, open the door for manipulations of patients, make more money for insurance companies and be difficult for the doctors who do the procedures.  Errors are made in every type of medical procedures, including assisted suicide.  Each of these points is logical, however they all also have logical counteractive arguments. The main reasons for arguing that assisted suicide should be legal is the fact that America is a free nation and the choice should be up to the patient.  In the end, everyone's lives come to an end, and if a patient feels as though death is better than suffering, it should be his or her choice whether or not to take his or her life.  Assisted suicide also allows for families to have closure, and to know exactly when their loved one is going to die.  Assisted suicide also relieves the fear of death and helps patients end their lives in the way they choose.  Each side claims valid points but what it really comes down to is the freedom of choice.  For those opposing this argument, legalizing physician assisted suicide would have little effect on their lives.  Because it is a choice being made, those that do not choose to use assisted suicide do not have to.  For those agreeing with this argument, assisted suicide would allow for the choice to stop the suffering and pain in the final stages of life, when needed.  Because it is a choice, both the opposers and the supporters should agree on the decision to legalize physician assisted suicide.  

One of the main reasons as to why people oppose the legalization of assisted suicide is for religious values and beliefs. Suicide goes against many religious morals because people view that God gives a person life and that only God should be allowed to take away that life. It is stated that "Suicide would then be "considered as a rejection of God's sovereignty and loving plan". 1 Some people feel that individuals are all stewards of their own lives, but that suicide should never be an option" (Robison).  However, "research suggests that liberal Protestants, Jews and those with no religious affiliation are generally more supportive of physician assisted suicide" (Burdette, pg.79).  This suggests that not all religions or religious people disagree with the belief that assisted suicide should be made legal.  Generalizing groups of people and suggesting that just because they practice the same religion means that they hold the same opinions and beliefs is wrong. There are some Catholics out there who believe assisted suicide is the right answer, and some that oppose that same argument, for example. In reality, it is a person's choice whether they choose to partake in assisted suicide, however they themself are not the one completing the actual procedure. Religious beliefs will always have a place in controversial issues in society.  These reasons can be strongly contradicted, however, and if assisted suicide was made legal, those who do not support it, have the choice to not use it.  

Discussing the term "suicide" relates to another opposing argument as to why people feel assisted suicide should not be legalized. The word "suicide" holds a negative connotation with it.  People who commit suicide generally tend to have a mental illness.  This makes people think that allowing anyone to use assisted suicide would allow for mentally ill patients to use it for the wrong purposes.  Of course, with assisted suicide comes many restrictions and limitations.  The Encyclopedia of Bioethics discusses the term "suicide" and the issues that come with this word. The encyclopedia states  "two focal issues concerning suicide are evident in these broader dilemmas. First, should suicide be recognized as a right, and if so, under what conditions? On this first question rest the foundations for various applications of the "right to die," as well as a variety of other issues in high-risk and self-sacrificial behavior" (Battin).  This quote recognizes the fact that America is the land of the free and it is a place where a person is allowed to make his or her own choices.  One choice that Americans do not have the right to make, however, is the right to end their lives.  If assisted suicide was legal, restrictions would be made in order to clarify which illnesses are allowed to be treated with assisted suicide and which are not. This would address and solve the problem of abuse of assisted suicide when dealing with mental illness.  When people are at the point where they are suffering every time they move, they should be given the choice to stop this pain and agony and finally find peace in the situation. The fact that assisted suicide takes away pain and suffering from individuals decreases the negative connotation on the word "suicide" and gives a solution to living and suffering with a fatal illness.  

Another widely discussed reason as to why people feel physician assisted suicide should not be legalized is that it would ruin doctor and patient care relationships. It is frequently believed that "a doctor will put less effort into finding a cure to a patient's illness if the option of assisted suicide is available" (Clair).  Once again, the choice of assisted suicide is up to the patient.  A doctor's job is to save lives.  Because this is the case, a doctor who relies on assisted suicide and puts less effort into finding a solution besides death would not be doing his job.  If a doctor is not doing his or her job, he or she will lose that job.  On numerous occasions, patients have begged their doctors and nurses for a drug to end the pain and suffering brought to them by a fatal illness.  It must be difficult, as a doctor or nurse, to watch a patient you have grown to know, wait for the day that the misery of the illness comes to an end.  If a doctor or nurse could provide an end to the suffering, the relationship between these people would not degrade, but rather, get stronger.   A survey was done to see the results of what majority of people felt about this matter. The results concluded "There was disagreement by 58% of the participants, and agreement by only 20% that legalizing euthanasia would cause them to trust their personal physician less" (M. Hall).  The article also stated that the remaining votes were neutral.  This proves that the majority of people agree that assisted suicide would only help doctor patient relationships, not degrade them. Physicians' main goal and the reason they choose their career path is because they want to save as many lives as they can.  Unfortunately, saving some lives is not possible.  After trying their absolute hardest, but being unsuccessful, physicians would be able to continue to help their patient by providing them with the best option, which would be assisted suicide.   

People also tend to feel that physician assisted suicide should not be legal due to the manipulations it could create on the terminally ill.  Some patients may feel as though they're burdening their loved one by having them wait for them to die.  This may cause these patients to feel as though they need to take part in assisted suicide. This is a rare occurrence and does not happen in most cases. Family members are often not burdened by someone who is dying nor would they want to see a family member suffer with constant pain.  Assisted suicide would not only cause relief in the life of the patient, but also in the lives of their loved ones.  Using this procedure would also allow for the opportunity that the patient would be surrounded by all of his or her loved ones while he or she passed. The last goodbyes would be at a specific time, with family and friends, in a comfortable environment. Once again, legalizing assisted suicide is the answer to this debate because it is a choice. There is no pressure to make one choice or the other.  It is simply up to the patient to decide whether they want to live through the suffering or die in peace.  

The fact that errors can be made during all medical procedures provides another reason as to why some believe that assisted suicide should not be made legal. Recorded evidence, such as "No 4, reports that medical errors may be the third leading cause of death in the United States at 225,000 deaths per year" (Clair).  This is an extremely contradictory argument that those who believe assisted suicide should not be made legal use.  If something does go wrong and the patient dies, that was the overall desired end in the procedure anyway. The only mistake that can be made is whether or not the patient is terminally ill.  Because doctors are professionals who have spent eight years of their life studying and practicing for cases like these, errors are not very frequent.  In most cases, more than one doctor checks on a patient and more than one doctor decides whether or not that patient is terminally ill.  Legalizing physician assisted suicide comes with few risks and it is a procedure that has been perfected and studied by many for years.  

A final opposing argument used in debates is that insurance companies would benefit far too much from assisted suicide.  Research shows that "about 27% of Medicare's annual $327 billion budget goes to care for patients in their final year of life. That's a lot of money, and one poison pill is so much cheaper" (Clair). Insurance companies would have no say whatsoever in a terminally ill patient's decision to choose physician assisted suicide or not.  Insurance companies wouldn't be able to cope with demanding someone to end their life due to financial reasons for their company.  As far as expenses, just as every other procedure, insurance workers would be able to figure out a fair and accessible way for patients to pay for assisted suicide.   Insurance companies will not be taken in accountability when legalizing this procedure, however if it is legalized, insurance companies will have to change their plans in order to support those who choose to use assisted suicide.  

Overall, legalizing assisted suicide would allow for both those who do not believe in it and those who do to have a choice.  Everyone in America makes choices every day.  If a person does not agree with something, he or she has the choice to not support it. This is why the choice should be given to the patient and why assisted suicide should be legal.  One of the prominent reasons as to why assisted suicide should be made legal is the terminally ill patient's suffering.   When patients have no hope in surviving and are aware that they are going to die soon, they should be given the option of life or death. One very famous example is from Brittany Maynard, a 29-year old with stage 4 Glioblastoma multiforme (a malignant brain tumor). She stated ... 

"There is not a cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die. I want to live. I wish there was a cure for my disease but there's not... My glioblastoma is going to kill me, and that's out of my control. I've discussed with many experts how I would die from it, and it's a terrible, terrible way to die. Being able to choose to go with dignity is less terrifying..." (Maynard)

This is a prime example of what physician assisted suicide is all about. It's about helping the terminally ill patients avoid a terribly painful death after they have already suffered enough. It is not forcing all terminally ill patients to choose this method, but rather offering the choice of taking life into one's own hands. Imagining being in this situation is disturbing.  The choice of assisted suicide brings comfort to the patients knowing that they are in control of their own lives.  

Death is inevitable. Some people are terrified of dying and others feel that it is a natural part of life that should not be feared. It was stated in a study that "Since these phenomena have a conservative flavor, one may argue that fear of death makes people more conservative" (Castano, pg.615).  This proves that when dealing with death, people fear assisted suicide because it brings lives to an end. The important fact to keep in mind that assisted suicide prevents a slow, painful death and makes for a smooth, quick, and painless death. By making physician assisted suicide legal, those who do choose to use it are not taking their life for granted, however, ending their life in a way they want to.

Another benefit of euthanasia is the fact that in the patient's final moments, they are surrounded by their loved ones.  This is an extremely important factor of assisted suicide because, instead of a shocking and surprising death, the patient has the option of when to die, how to die, and who surrounds them when they die.   They have the choice of a final meal, how to spend their last day, and who they get to spend that day with.  These benefits support the belief that assisted suicide allows for a relaxing and comfortable death, rather than dying in a painful and agonizing way.  Death is by no means a positive part of life.  However, assisted suicide allows for death to be peaceful.  Survival is the desired outcome of any illness, however this is not always an achievable aspect.   The next most desired outcome would be to no longer see a loved one suffer.  Because doctors are in control of the death situation, and because they are professionals, this is an achievable outcome.  

Organ donation is another positive outcome of assisted suicide.  It has been analyzed that "modern medicine has also gained extraordinary new powers to prolong life. Within the last few decades, medical treatments such as kidney dialysis, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, organ transplantation, respirator support, and provision of food and water by artificial means have become common in hospitals" (Brock).  Waiting lists for organ transport could gain support for physician assisted suicide by helping the terminally ill patient feel that their death isn't useless. It also can help to create new jobs for the medical field by creating positions that deal specially with physician assisted suicide. Knowing that the patient is helping others and saving more live, comforts that patient even more.  Both jobs and organ donation are two further reasons that support my claim that assisted suicide should be legalized.  

When a disease or illness begins to control someone's life it as though they're not themselves anymore. Illnesses leaves people weak with little to no energy left to act the way they use to. Assisted suicide allows people to take life into their own hands.  It allows them to regain their dignity and go out with pride.  It lets them feel that sense of control that they have been missing for so long. After people had heard the countless stories of the beneficial and successful cases using assisted suicide,  "the percentage of young adults aged 18 to 34 who support doctor-assisted suicide climbed 19 points this year, to 81%. Young adults are now significantly more likely than older U.S. adults to support doctor-assisted suicide" (Dugan). When people, especially the youth, lose control of their bodies, they want a way to gain the control back. Assisted suicide allows for this and restores the hope in terminally ill patients that they haven't completely lost their identity.  

In the end, the choice is up to the patient.  The best argument for my claim that assisted suicide should be legalized is the fact that it is a choice, not an enforced law.  Legalizing physician assisted suicide would not force anybody to end his or her life, but rather give that person an alternative option to suffering through the pain and waiting for death to end it.  Physician assisted suicide allows for a peaceful, relieving death. It allows for a less fearful and more comfortable death.  America would not be America if people agreed on everything.  Abortion and gay marriage are two extremely controversial topics in America.  Both have supporters and opposers.  Euthanasia belongs in this category, too.  People deserve the right to make their own decisions.  Just as a woman has the choice to abort her baby, or two men have the choice to wed, a diagnosed, terminally ill patients deserve the right to make the choice on whether or not they wish to continue on with their life. 

