Should suicide pills be available to everyone?

[mediumaevum]

How come religious fanatics are always in the way when it comes to the quesiton of legalizing suicide?

In some countries, believe it or not, suicide is illegal. Even in atheist countries, like North Korea, where your family is punished by eternity in labor camp, if you commit suicide.

But I am also talking about simple matters like euthanasia which is illegal in many countries.

It is my opinion, that suicide pills should be available in supermarkets, or at least in drugstores, without need for prescription.

It is not the responsibility of the government to decide for its subjects wether their life is worth living. I am all for government helping people in need, but if
an individual wants to die, it should be his/her sole decision, and the government should not intervene!

[Shiranu]

It is my opinion, that suicide pills should be available in supermarkets, or at least in drugstores, without need for prescription.

No, no, no, no, no.... no and no.

Because that couldn't be abused AT ALL into opening it and making discrete poison to kill someone other than yourself. Or just slipping it into pills that other people use.

Sorry, but I think medicine other than, "This clears up your nose" or "this makes your throat hurt less" should be left to professionals.

It is not the responsibility of the government to decide for its subjects wether their life is worth living.

Yeah, it kinda is. When people want to kill themselves they aren't thinking with a healthy mind. The government has every right to tell you that you have to go through a procedure before being granted death by pill. Now, if you have a terminal illness and are in excruciating pain, yeah I think you should be fast-tracked through that process. But if you have a mental illness and want to kill yourself, generally that is not a permanent state of mind but an over-whelming feeling that comes for a short while and then recedes.

[Plu]

I pretty much agree with Shiranu. People should have a right to terminate their own life, but we should protect them from doing it on a whim. At the very least, a mental assesment to make sure the person is in their right mind and has thought about the consequences of what they are going to do.

But after that, it should be up to the individual.

[Icarus]

Why would you need a pill when everyone has easy access to knives?

[aitm]

:-k

well, maybe we could try it for one month...just one pill per person asking. Could solve lots of problems.... :Hangman:

[Mermaid]

I pretty much agree with Shiranu. People should have a right to terminate their own life, but we should protect them from doing it on a whim. At the very least, a mental assesment to make sure the person is in their right mind and has thought about the consequences of what they are going to do.

But after that, it should be up to the individual.

Absolutely agree.

[Mermaid]

It is not the responsibility of the government to decide for its subjects wether their life is worth living. I am all for government helping people in need, but if
an individual wants to die, it should be his/her sole decision, and the government should not intervene!

There is a big difference between intervention and enabling.

[Mermaid]

And there is something else to be considered here:
For drugs to be legal for sale in this country (and a lot of others) they have to undergo research and development. The manufacturing company has to prove that all drugs taken internally are both safe and effective. So they have to be developed and tested. That is true for the solutions sold to euthanize animals. My job is to develop drugs and vaccines for use by medical professionals. I would not put my hands on a drug like that, and I would daresay that the vast majority of people working in my field would feel the same.
Killing people for profit. Who the fuck would entertain that kind of thing?

[stromboli]

Suicide should not be a pill but a process. If someone is having a really bad day, breaking up with a girl friend or something, they could be suicidal in the short term. It would be stupid to give access to suicide pills. Someone who is crippled to the point of uselessness or at the end of their life should be allowed to end it if they choose, but it has to be a rational decision with real causes.

[Nonsensei]

If people want one they should be allowed to have one.

Most people wont want one.

[LikelyToBreak]

I agree with Shiranu on this.  Anyone thinking about suicide should see a professional.  

On the other hand, while they don't have suicide pills at the supermarket, every supermarket has products which can be used to commit suicide.

Then there is the old standby of running the car in the garage with the door closed.  One of my neighbors drives me nuts by starting his truck and then opening the door to his garage.  Sometimes a minute or two later.  Sure, it would take like half an hour for it to cause him to pass out, but come on.  You know he's breathing higher levels of CO even if it is just a few minutes.

Well, if someone really wants to commit suicide, not having a pill available won't make that much difference.  More comfortable maybe, but the end result is the same.  Though come to think of it,  a black pill like they used in the movie MASH might have some benefits for society.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

They already have it. In almost any city in the US and probably the world there is always an underground black market where you can buy almost any drug you want especially heroin which can be injected, swallowed, snorted and smoked.
$100 of good dope will knock off anyone who doesn't already have a $50 a day habit.. it's NOT hard to find.

[Youssuf Ramadan]

Killing people for profit. Who the fuck would entertain that kind of thing?

The government.  Mercenaries. Cigarette manufacturers.  

[GrinningYMIR]

I agree with having someone who is in permanent or extreme pain to be given the pill.

Let's say there was a chemical explosion and the victim suffered third degree chemical burns across most of their torso, arms, face and lower legs.

That guy is in indescribable pain, and you don't recover from horrible burns. I believe this man should be offered the pill because that pain will always be there, causing him misery beyond comprehension.

[the_antithesis]

The fucking fuck is with this guy?

Will his next thread be about how father-daughter incest is OK?